The 2011 Bowl Championship Series title game between the Auburn Tigers and Oregon Ducks may have had the most expensive tickets in the history of US sports.

Tickets for the Tostitos-sponsored game, which took place on January 10th at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, ran from over $2,000 to just under $5,000 on StubHub.com before the game was removed from the site. That’s the most expensive tickets have been since the advent of online ticket sales. In fact, StubHub sold so many tickets that they offered a full refund and an additional $2,760 to anyone willing to sell back their tickets.

The BCS National Championship Game was attended by 78,603 fans. Despite Oregon’s 4th quarter comeback, Auburn was crowned as the BCS National Champion after winning by three points.

The sticker price only tells half the story when it comes to purchasing a new auto. Beyond that price tag, there’s maintenance and, of course, auto insurance. Luckily, Insure.com has made a list of America’s most expensive 2010 cars to insure.

The list includes only 2010 models and is based on the average insurance for a 40-year-old male with a good driving record and a 12-mile commute. The policies surveyed include liability protection and uninsured motorist coverage. The prices set by the insurers are based not just on the cars themselves, but also on the driving habits of those most likely to own such a car.

They found that the least expensive 2010 car to insure is the Mazda Tribue i at $1,070.25 annually.

The most expensive 2010 car to insure is the 6-cylinder Porsche 911 Carrera GT2 2-door coupe. That’s no surprise, as this sort of luxury vehicle appeals to those who’d like to test the car’s top speed of over 200 mph. The price to insure this 500+ hp monster of a sports car averages at $2,943.78 annually.

America’s most expensive 2010 vehicles to insure
Porsche 911 Carrera GT2 – $2,943.78
Mercedes S65 AMG – $2,863.03
Dodge Viper SRT-10 Coupe – $2,851.89
Porsche Panamera Turbo AWD – $2,837.39
Dodge Viper SRT-10 Convertible – $2,815.90

In 2010, Forbes reported on the Most Valuable Teams in Sports. Should they be sold, we’ve no doubt they would be some of the most expensive sports teams in the world. Will 2011 bring a change to this list? We’ll see.

Manchester United F.C. – $1.87 billion

England’s Manchester United is a Premier League club and the most valuable football club (that’s soccer on this side of the pond) in the world. That’s probably due to the team’s 18 league titles, four Football League Cups and 11 Football Association Challenge Cups, and the skills of legendary players like Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and Jack “The Gunner” Rowley.

Dallas Cowboys – $1.65 billion

American football’s most expensive team, and the most valuable team in American sports history, has a record number of Super Bowl appearances and, beginning in 1990, sold out more consecutive home games than any other NFL team. Cowboys who took their place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame include Super Bowl MVPs Chuck Howley, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith.

Washington Redskins – $1.55 billion

The Redskins’ claims to fame include five NFL Championship wins, ten NFL divisional titles and six NFL conference championships. The team ranks fifth in number of Super Bowl appearances. In honor of the Redskins’ 70th anniversary, a panel named the team’s 70 greatest players. The list included Hall of Famers Sonny Jurgensen, Ken Houston and Russ Grimm

New York Yankees – $1.5 billion

The New York Yankees have a long and storied history as a team that produces legendary players. Forty-four Yankees have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, including such players as Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and, of course, Babe Ruth.

According to the first Annual Review of Global Sports Salaries, written for sportsintelligence.com and covering the salaries of 211 teams in 2009, the average Yankees player makes just under $7 million annually, while their highest-paid player, Alex Rodriguez, makes over $30 million. The Yankees were paid so much, in fact, that they had to pay a $23 million luxury tax to the MLB.

In 2011, Fox’s premiere musical dramedy is going to the Super Bowl. Glee, in its second season, will be celebrating the most important day in American football with their most expensive episode ever.

While it was already rumored that the Glee cast would be performing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” for their post-Super Bowl episode, it has been confirmed to EW.com that the song will be performed as a mash-up with another, unannounced song. The episode, revolving around coach Sue Sylvester’s cheerleading regionals and the local football championship, will also feature songs by Katy Perry, the Black Eyed Peas and Lady Antebellum. The “Thriller” mash-up will be performed during the game’s half-time.

The exact dollar amount is unavailable, but it is known that GM will be sponsoring the episode.

In its original form, the word “whisky” meant “water of life.” I’m sure some of you readers out there will agree with that sentiment. Luckily for you, there’s quite a variety of different whiskies (or “whiskeys,” if we’re talking about American or Irish liquors). Check out the most expensive whiskies in these popular varieties.

The Most Expensive Bourbon Whiskey
$300

The most expensive Bourbon is the 16 Year Old A. H. Hirsch Reserve, one of the few remaining examples of the Kentucky pot-still tradition.

The Most Expensive Canadian Whisky
$10,000

The world’s most expensive Canadian rye whiskey was presented to Queen Elizabeth II at the Kentucky Derby in 2007. If it were sold, it would be expected to go for over $10,000

The Most Expensive Irish Whiskey
$143,020

One of the last remaining whiskeys from the Nun’s Island Distillery in Galway, Ireland, this particular elixir is still up for sale at £100,000. If purchased, it will be the most expensive whiskey ever sold.

The Most Expensive Scotch Whisky
$460,000

A bottle of 64-year-old Macallan, the oldest whisky ever bottled by the Macallan distillery, became the most expensive whisky in the world when it sold at a charity auction in November, 2010. The catch, however, is that the auction also included a one-of-a-kind crystal decanter.

The MV Chetzemoka, the new boat for the Port Townsend-Keystone run in Washington, will not only be the state’s first new ferry boat in a decade, but will also be the most expensive ferry built in the US.

With its 64 car capacity, this boat will replace the Steel Electric ferries used on the run until 2007, when the Secretary of Transportation removed them from service due to safety concerns. The new boat was built by Todd Pacific Shipyards based on designs for the Island Home ferry, which were purchased by the Washington State Ferries system for $1.3 million.

The total cost to build the ferry ended up being just over $80 million—more than the cost to build the three larger boats previously used on the run. The excessive price is likely due to the fact that only in-state shipyards could legally be contracted to construct the boat.

The MV Chetzemoka will make its first run on Sunday, November 13, 2010.

Once again, Forbes has surveyed universities across the US and created a list of the most expensive universities in America. The expensive universities and colleges were ranked by the typical expensives of a freshman student, including room and board. Here are the top 5 universites on Forbes’ list.

Vanderbilt University – $53,660

This private university in Nashville, Tennessee, was founded by the South Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873. Originally called Central University, it was rechristened after a sizable donation by Cornelius Vanderbilt. The Methodist church severed its ties to the university in 1914, after the Supreme Court ruled that Vanderbilt, not the church, was the university’s founder. Today, Vanderbilt is known for its Medical Center, the second largest employer in the state.

Wesleyan University – $53,976

Founded in 1831, Wesleyan University was founded as a Methodist college named after the religion’s founder, John Wesley. The university, located in Middletown, Connecticut, was among the first all-male universities to open their doors to female students in 1872, but the university ceased coeducation from 1912 to 1970. Today, Wesleyan is known as one of the top universities for African Americans and for its high percentage of doctorates earned by women.

Bard College – $54,275

Located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, this liberal arts college was founded in 1870 in association with the Episcopal church. Originally called St. Stephen’s, it was renamed after its founder, John Bard, in 1934. Today, the school is known for its liberal leanings, being ranked the second most liberal university in the US by the Princeton Review in 2005.

Columbia University – $54,385

New York’s oldest university was founded as King’s College in 1754. It was renamed Columbia College in 1784, after the Revolutionary War. This Ivy League university’s alumni include five of the founding fathers and four presidents, including Barack Obama. It is the third most selective school in the nation, according to the U.S. News & World Report. It’s also affiliated with more Nobel prize laureates than any other university.

Sarah Lawrence College – $57,556

The most expensive university in the United States was founded as a women’s college in 1926 and didn’t start accepting men until 1968. The college, located in Bronxville, NY, was founded by William Van Duzer Lawrence, a real-estate mogul. It carries the name of Lawrence’s wife, Sarah. The college was the first liberal arts institution in the US to take the progressive approach to education in the arts, and its students have been known since the 30s for their political activism. That tradition continues to this day with involvement in the sexual rights movement and organizations responding to the conflict in Iraq.

Divorce is never an easy procedure, but imagine losing millions in the process. These celebrities have shelled out for some of the most expensive divorces in the world.

Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison (2004) – $85 million

Ford, whose success includes starring roles in the “Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars” films, wed screenwriter Melissa Mathison in 1983. When the two were divorced after 17 years, Mathison was awarded a portion of future earnings through DVD sales in addition to the $85 million.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren (2010) – $100 million or more

The superstar pro golfer whose infidelities became a public embarrassment in late 2009 lost a great deal of money in his divorce with his wife of five years, but how much is anyone’s guess. The exact amount of the settlement was not disclosed, but is estimated to have been between $100 million and $500 million. Woods also played the worst games of his career during the proceedings, and even lost a few sponsors.

Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving (1989) – $100 million

Legendary director and producer Steven Spielberg married actress Amy Irving in 1985. Although their marriage lasted only 4 years, Irving bore Speilberg a son in that time. As their pre-nuptial agreement lacked witnesses, and was written on a napkin, it was dismissed by the court.

Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey (1994) – $150 million

Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond married television production assistant Marcia Murphey, his second wife, in 1969. The two were divorced after 25 years, and Diamond didn’t balk at the huge sum of money awarded to Murphey. In fact, he even went so far as to say she’d “earned every penny” for her support over the years.

Michael and Juanita Jordan (2006) – $168 million

This superstar athlete may have retired twice and made as many comebacks, but his love life is considerably more stable. Jordan married Juanita Vanoy in 1989 and remained with her for 17 years. Despite their divorce costing Jordan more than any celebrity divorce in history, including a 7-acre Chicago estate and custody of their children, it was reportedly amicable.

If you’re a football fan, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about Troy Polamalu’s famous hair. Well, Head and Shoulders certainly have. They’re using the Samoan-descended NFL superstar’s lengthy locks to promote their brand and, in case of unforeseen hair trauma, they’ve insured it for $1 million.

The 29-year-old strong safety received his first haircut in 2000, on advice from his coach at the University of Southern California. The last haircut, however, was seven years ago, and the mass of hair spilling out of his helmet has become one of his most distinctive features. In fact, it’s been said that his whole head of hair, laid end to end, would stretch across 1,100 football fields.

The insurance policy was developed by Watkins Syndicate at Lloyd’s of London. It covers Polamalu’s hair for the entirety of the NFL season.

Do you want to send your child to one of the costliest schools in the nation? It’s not a matter of tuition money—it is, after all, a public school. All you have to do is live in the right district in Los Angeles, California and you can send your child to the most expensive public school in America.

Built on the former site of the Ambassador Hotel and named after the former US Senator and Democratic presidential candidate who was assassinated in the kitchen of that building, the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools will serve 4,200 K-12 students living in the predominantly low income and Latino neighborhoods of and around Pico Union. The complex is one of three $100-million-plus megaschools recently built in Los Angeles to unburden the city’s overcrowded public school system.

The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools complex cost $578 million to build. Compare that to Los Angeles’ other megaschools, the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center, built for $377 million and opened in 2008, and the Visual and Performing Arts High School, built for $232 million and opened in 2009.

Unless you’re going to school in your home town (and who wants to do that?), room and board will likely be a large portion of your college expenses. That’s not likely to change any time soon, either, as Forbes reports the price of freshman room and board has increased by 11% over the last three years. Some, of course, are more expensive than others. If you go to one of these top universities, expect to pay for the most expensive college dorm rooms in America.

Pomona College – $12,220

Freshmen at this private liberal arts college in Claremont, CA all live on its South Campus, where only one of the four residence halls on “Freshman Row” is air conditioned. Despite that, Pomona College ranked #13 on Princeton Review’s “Dorms Like Palaces” index.

Georgetown University – $12,750

This Jesuit university in Washington, DC is the oldest Catholic university in the US. Students at Georgetown University may choose between traditional dormitories and “villages” that are more like apartment complexes. Freshman students may lodge in Darnall Hall, Harbin Hall or New South Hall, where University mascot Jack the Bulldog resides with Father Christopher Steck. Freshmen may also opt for Village C’s West wing.

Sarah Lawrence College – $13,104

This former women’s college, known for its politically active students, offers a wide variety of housing options. In addition to the school’s four original dorms, there are three newer dorms designed by architect Phillip Johnson as well as a number of renovated private dwellings, apartment buildings, manor houses and even former maid’s quarters.

The Hamptons—that easternmost stretch of Long Island catering to the financial elite—have just seen a record set, as a recent rental is the most expensive in the area’s history. Is this the most expensive rental home in the US?

If not, it’s pretty close.

Sandcastle, an 11.5-acre estate with a 31,000 square foot main house, has been rented to an anonymous family for two weeks. Aside from the main house’s nine bedrooms and 11.5 bathrooms, Sandcastle also holds a guest house, pool, tennis courts, bowling alley, movie theater and even a half pipe.

The couple has paid $500,000 for their two week stay—or over $35,000 per day. The estate that may be America’s most expensive rental home, owned by New York City’s Corcoran Group, is also for sale at $49.5 million.

For some individuals, a dog or cat or even the odd parakeet isn’t an exotic enough pet. Those interested in more outlandish pets may turn to snakes, lion cubs or even our distant relative—the primate.

The most expensive monkey is the De Brazza’s Monkey, which has a price around $10,000. This shy creature is very good at hiding, but can be easily recognized by its orange crown, long white beard and distinctive crest. They’re native to central Africa, where they are preyed upon by large African eagles, leopards, humans and even other primates. A De Brazza’s Monkey is sixteen to twenty-five inches long and can weigh over eleven pounds.

The most expensive of all primate pets, on the other hand, is the chimpanzee. These African apes can cost over $50,000.

Before you go rushing off to buy one, though, keep in mind that primates are illegal to own as pets in 21 states. In addition, they haven’t had the benefit of centuries of domestic breeding that makes them suitable for civilian environments.

Whether or not the Boston Red Sox are the most successful team of the decade may be questionable, but one thing is for sure—they’re certainly the most expensive team to see at home.

A recent Team Marketing Report has surveyed the Fan Cost Index of Major League Baseball teams and, after being overtaken in 2009 for the first year since 2001, Fenway Park is once again at the top of the chart.

The Fan Cost Index is the total price for a typical family of four to see a game. The FCI includes the price of two children’s tickets, two adult tickets, four small soft drinks, four hot dogs, two small drinks, two programs and parking. Fenway Park’s FCI was $334.78, making it the most expensive park to see a game.

The Cubs’ Wrigley Field came in at a close second with $329.74, while Yankee Stadium placed third at $316.32.

Fans of the Red Sox aren’t paying for the most expensive tickets, however, as the average price of a ticket at Wrigley Field $52.56, a scant few cents more than Fenway Park’s average ticket price of $52.32.

Do you think your rent is too much? Well, you might think again after seeing rental prices in the most expensive rental markets in the United States. Compiled by the Center for Housing Policy, an affiliate of the National Housing Conference, the report ranks 210 metropolitan areas in the US by the fair market rent of a two bedroom apartment.

Topping the list was San Francisco, California, where the monthly fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,760. In fact, three of the four highest-ranked areas were in California—Santa Cruz and Santa Ana ranked third and fourth, respectively.

Second place went to Honolulu, the Hawaiian capital, where a two-bedroom apartment goes for around $1,704. New York City’s place on the list was perhaps most surprising, as it ranked a low thirteenth place at $1,359.

The top ten most expensive rental markets in the US are listed below.

HBO’s latest attempt to recapture the magic that made The Sopranos a hit may just be the most expensive television show in the world.

According to The New York Post, the pilot episode for Boardwalk Empire has set HBO back $50 million—around five times the price of Lost’s two-hour pilot episode, formerly thought to be the world’s most expensive television episode.

Boardwalk Empire fuses the period style that made AMC’s Mad Men popular with the gangster drama that propelled Sopranos to the top. It will star Steve Buscemi as politician and gangster Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, who reigned over Atlantic City in the 1920s. The series was created by Buscemi’s fellow Sopranos alum Terence Winter and is produced by none other than Martin Scorsese.

Boardwalk Empire is set to debut in late 2010 with a 12-episode season.

You already know about the world’s most expensive sunglasses, but what about prescription glasses? In 1998, a pair of glasses became the most expensive prescription eyeglasses in the world.

What was so special about these glasses? They were one of two pairs of glasses sold by the widow of Buddy Holly and formerly worn by the legendary Father of Rock and Roll himself. The first pair, auctioned by Sotheby’s in 1990, sold for $50,000. The other pair was worn by Holly during the infamous crash that took his life.

That pair spent 22 years in an Iowa sheriff’s office before being sold by Maria Elena Diaz-Holly to the City of Lubbock, Texas, for $80,000. Lubbock, where Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley, is the site of the Buddy Holly Center where the glasses are now on display.

Both pairs were furnished for Holly by Dr. J. Davis Armistead, who recalls that Holly experimented with contact lenses before settling on his iconic glasses.

Chicken is often one of the cheaper meats at the grocery store, but you can still pay a premium price for the poultry if you try hard enough. Bresse chickens, from their namesake area in France, are valued for their gamey flavor and tender flesh while Silkie chickens are valued as show chickens for their almost mammalian plumage. The Sussex chickens offered by Greenfire Farms, however, may be the most expensive chickens in the world.

Sussex chickens are a dual-purpose breed. They’re useful for both their egg-laying capacity—up to 250 eggs per year—and their fat, meaty bodies. As the breed’s name suggests, the Sussex chicken comes from Sussex County in England and only four of the eight different varieties of Sussex chicken are widely available in the US.

Greenfire Farms offers two of the varieties less common in the US, the Silver Sussex and the Coronation Sussex, for a hefty price. The Silver is black with prevalent streaks of white and silver while the Coronation is an almost opalescent white. Greenfire offers both of these bloodlines at $750 for six day-old chicks.

Coronation and Silver Sussex chickens

When the Louisville Slugger used by legendary baller Babe Ruth to hit his first home run at Yankee Stadium in 1923 went up for auction, some feared that the winner might destroy it—either to end the dreaded “Curse of the Bambino” and allow the Red Sox victory in that year’s World Series or to sell pieces of it for profit. Instead, it became the most expensive baseball bat in the world as it sold for $1.3 million.

The bat, which left Ruth’s hands as a prize for a Los Angeles high school batting champion, features an autograph and dedication “To the Boy Home Run King of Los Angeles” and a brass plate that reads “Presented to Victor Orsatti at Manual Arts H.S. by the Los Angeles Evening Herald.” The 46-ounce bat’s model number, 148, is still visible amidst the lathe marks.

During his career, Ruth hit 714 home runs. His mythic batting prowess paid for the original Yankee Stadium—earning it the monicker “The House that Ruth Built”—and filled the 58,000-seat stadium with at least 60,000 fans in its first game, when the Yankees played against the Red Sox.

Speaking of the Red Sox, the Curse of the Bambino was lifted the year of the auction when they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 in the 2004 World Series.

What can you carry in the most expensive backpack in the world? From the look of it, you could stuff just about anything you need for a good day’s hike in one of its many pockets.

Leather goods producer Mulholland has made this luxury backpack out of deerskin, a supple but strong leather. The buckles are made of refined nickel or brass findings and the zippers are of the highest quality. The backpack is trimmed with signature Latigo leather and lined with water-resistant Italian linen. Each backpack is handmade in San Francisco and, due to the quality deerskin used in its manufacture, features unique graining.

Mulholland’s Deerskin Rucksack Backpacks are priced at $1,324.95. I dare you to find a more expensive backpack.

In 2005, a couple named Mike and Liz started a blog about a special french fry they’d found at McDonald’s. The fry, which they had dubbed the Lincoln Fry, featured a near perfect profile of the sixteenth president as seen on the common penny. It was also seen in an “amateur” commercial during that year’s Super Bowl XXXIX.

Of course, the story was completely fabricated. It was concocted by McDonald’s as a viral marketing campaign and the Lincoln Fry itself was made from polyurethane plastic.

That didn’t stop GoldenPalace.com—an online casino that, for some reason, thinks I’m in Kentucky—from purchasing the 4-inch french fry for a nationwide tour alongside the “Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich.” The casino secured the world’s most expensive french fry at auction for $75,100.

Proceeds from the Yahoo! auction went to Ronald McDonald House charities.

It’s only available at Mélisse in Santa Monica, CA and even then only between October and December. It’s the most expensive macaroni and cheese in the world and it’s a far cry from Velveeta Shells and Cheese.

The decadent dish is just one example of Chef Josiah Citrin’s cuisine, blend of traditional French and modern American that has made Mélisse a Mobil Travel Guide 4-star recipient for 8 years. The macaroni and cheese is Chef Josiah’s fresh tagliatelle covered with a hefty portion of white truffle, brown butter truffle froth and grated parmesan cheese.

The white truffles are the reason it’s available for a mere three months of the year—during the truffle season—and the most likely culprit for the most expensive macaroni and cheese’s $95 price tag.

How much would you pay for a tablespoon of dirt? Before you answer, you might want to ask about the quality of the dirt, what nutrients a hungry plant might extract from it. Those, as the world’s most expensive dirt will attest, are the wrong questions to ask. No, you need to know where it’s been.

Sold in a coin-shaped, commemorative format, the eminently salable sod comes from the now defunct Yankee Stadium. Originally purchased from Beam Clay, provider of turf for “The House that Ruth Built” since 1952, the exceptional bit of New York Yankees memorabilia was used in the very last game played there on September 21st, 2008—when the Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-3.

The dirt was then pressed into coins under the watchful eyes of Steiner Sports Marketing authenticators and can be purchased in framed sets like the pictured “Yankee Stadium Final Season Game Used Photomint” sold by Highland Mint for $89.95.

By contrast, Beam Clay sells unused dirt by the ton for $75.

BusinessWeek has put together a list of fifty of “The Most Expensive Suburbs to Live in Now” for 2009. The list features the most expensive suburb in each state rated by median home price, median property tax and cost of living, each compared to the state average. Of course, “compared to the state average” doesn’t fly with the luxe standard of living that you’re used to reading about here, so we’ve picked out the ten suburbs with the most expensive median home prices.

Note that these aren’t necessarily the top ten most expensive suburbs in the US; only one suburb is listed in any given state.

Wellesley, Massachusetts – $899,000

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Located about half an hour west of Boston, the old-money town of Wellesley is the home of Babson College and, of course, Wellesley College. Wellesley High School also claimed 70th best public high school in the US in 2007.

Highland Park, Texas – $937,500

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Five miles north of Texas, Highland Park is the home of the Dallas Country Club and is the 41st wealthiest city in the US—19th if you only count cities with populations of 1,000 or more.

Millburn, New Jersey – $960,000

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Despite the bad rap that Jersey usually gets, this opulent suburb of NYC is only considered the 53rd best place to live in the state by New Jersey Magazine. It’s known for The Mall at Short Hills, a high-end mall across from the town’s Hilton Hotel, and its proximity to the South Mountain Reservation.

Great Falls, Virginia – $1,028,000

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North of Washington, DC, Great Falls is the home of the 800-acre Great Falls Park which overlooks the Great Falls of the Potomac. I think I’m beginning to see a pattern here.

Winnetka, Illinois – $1,060,000

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This Chicago suburb is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. It’s notable as the home of both the Hadley School for the Blind, a long distance learning center for the vision impaired, and the family from those dreadful Home Alone movies.

Darien, Connecticut – $1,145,000

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Home of one of the top ten libraries in the US, Darien is just short of an hour away from New York City. CNN rated it one of the top ten best places to live in America in 2005.

Scarsdale, New York – $1,230,000

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Speaking of New York, this suburb has been home to Yoko Ono, wife of John Lennon, West Wing writer and creator Aaron Sorkin and gangster/Las Vegas resort developer Bugsy Siegal.

Paradise Valley, Arizona – $1,650,000

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Paradise Valley, a suburb of Phoenix, is famous for being the namesake, if not the home, of several organizations, including Paradise Valley Community College, Paradise Valley Mall and Paradise Valley Golf Course.

Travilah, Maryland – $1,295,000

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Travilah is an unincorporated area Northwest of Washington, DC. Surprisingly, its claim to fame is its really expensive mansions. Go figure.

Atherton, California – $3,800,000

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I’m sure you’re all shocked that the most expensive suburb is in California. This wealthy community’s notable residents include Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt, former EBay CEO Meg Whitman and retired football player Jerry Rice.

Canadian rye whisky doesn’t quite have the prestige of its Scotch cousin, but it still has its moments. One such moment happened at the 2007 Kentucky Derby, when the attending Queen Elizabeth II was presented with the world’s most expensive Canadian whisky.

“Canadian whisky” refers to any whisky that is mashed, distilled and aged at least three years in a 700 L or smaller wooden barrel, all within Canadian borders. By Canadian law, any such whisky may also be labeled “rye whisky”—even if low rye content would prevent it from being labeled such elsewhere. Crown Royal Canadian Blended Whisky, one of the most popular Canadian whiskies, was originally brewed in 1939 to commemorate the first Royal Tour of Canada by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the late Queen Mother). The Crown Royal brand is now owned by Diageo, the world’s largest producer of spirits.

The presentation of Crown Royal’s Extra Rare Heritage Blend to Her Royal Majesty hearkens back to that inaugural event. The expensive whisky’s high rye content can be attributed to the rare barrels selected by Crown Royal’s master blender, Andrew MacKay, who supervised its production. In deference to the venue chosen for the presentation of the exclusive blend, Diageo commissioned Casey Hyland of Glassworks in Louisville to create the bottle, which is etched with 24-karat gold leaf for lettering.

While the most expensive Canadian whisky in the world is obviously not for sale, it has an estimated value of over $10,000.

Bourbon whiskey, like Champagne, is named after the region from which it comes—Bourbon, Kentucky. Unlike Champagne, however, Bourbon’s production isn’t limited to its home region. While it is still made primarily in Kentucky, Bourbon can be distilled anywhere in the US.

Currently, the most expensive Bourbon is the 16 year old A. H. Hirsch Reserve. This smooth whiskey was distilled at Michter’s Distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania in 1974 and left to mature until it was bottled in 1990. In fact, this particular whiskey is one of the few remaining examples of whiskeys distilled in the Kentucky pot-still tradition. A 750ML bottle of the 16 year old Reserve may cost up to $300.

Another expensive Bourbon, Evan Williams’ 23 year old, was reported by Forbes to be the most expensive in 2006 at $350. It has since gone down in price, however, and may be had for less than $200.

George Takei and Brad Altman

You’ve probably heard of Proposition 8, the Californian ballot measure that denied gays the right to marry as of November 2008. What you might not know is that the battle over Prop. 8 was the most expensive social issue campaign in US history.

The effect of Proposition 8 was simple—it added a line to the Constitution of California that stated that only marriage between a man and a woman is recognized in the state. This addition had the outcome of overturning a recent Supreme Court decision that allowed same-sex marriages on the basis that denying anyone the right to marry—when marriage was not explicitly defined in the state’s Constitution as being between a man and woman—was discrimination.

Supporters of the bill included the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, who pledged $200,000 to the cause, Mormons, evangelical Protestants and the Knights of Columbus, who made the largest single contribution at $1.4 million.

On the other side of the fence was the Screen Actors Guild, who voted to officially oppose the measure. Director Stephen Spielberg and actor Brad Pitt also made sizeable contributions to Proposition 8’s opposition.

All told, $82 million were raised in support or opposition of the measure and Proposition 8 passed 52-to-48. The 18,000 same-sex marriages that took place during the short time when it was legal, including that of George Takei (of Star Trek and Heroes fame) to Brad Altman, are still legally recognized.

November 2008 marked the end of what was the most expensive election in US history, which culminated in the election of Democratic nominee Barack Obama. Now, it’s likely true that every presidential election could claim that title until the next one came around—and that will probably continue to be true in 2012—but this last one really set the bar with over $2.5 billion spent by the twenty candidates that entered the race over the past two years.

Previous elections have cost significantly less—candidates in 2004 raised only half as much money while 2000’s candidates collected merely a third. Twenty years ago, George Bush Sr. and his opponents spent only 59 million, a mere 25th of this election cycle’s totals.

According to the Federal Election Committee, Republican nominee John McCain raised over $368 million while President Obama raised over $521 million. Other big money campaigns included Republican candidate Ron Paul’s, which raised more money in a single day than any Republican campaign in history when it raised $6 million on December 16th 2007, and Hillary Clinton’s, which was similarly successful on the blue side of the fence on June 30th 2007 and raised over $242 million in total.

How much does public transit in your town cost? According to a recent survey by Citizens Taking Action, a transit watchdog group, most Americans pay a basic fare around $1.53. According to the group, Chicago’s public transportation system is the most expensive in the US at $1.50 for bus fare and $2 to ride the El.

That may not sound like much, but the difference shows when you consider weekly and monthly passes–$17.80 and $58.43 nationally, $24 and $75 in Chicago. The watchdog group’s concern is that fare hikes proposed for 2009 will further widen the gap between the national average and Chicago fares.

Of course, it’s no coincidence that Chicago Transit Authority and Citizens Taking Action share initials and the study to find the national average and America’s most expensive public transit was conducted informally.

Do you know of any public transit prices more expensive than Chicago’s?

The long anticipated Corvette ZR1 may finally see the light of day in 2009. First unveiled at the 12 Hours of Sebring race in 2005, the car was supposedly the result of GM CEO Rick Wagoner wondering what his Chevrolet designers could do for $100,000. The answer, of course, is the most powerful and most expensive Corvette in the world.

Equipped with a new LS9 engine,a supercharged 6.2 liter V8 that produces 620 horsepower (100 hp per liter) and 6500 RPMs, this costly Corvette is reportedly capable of top speeds over 200 mph and experts guess it will be able to do 0-60 in around 3.0 seconds. That’s .6 seconds faster than the Z06. It also features a number of carbon-fiber body parts and adjustable suspension.

The Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z1 was formally announced in December 2007. The world’s most expensive Corvette still has a sticker price of $100,000 and, for anyone who wants to pimp out this luxury sports car, chrome wheels and premium interior options are available.