Cash Drop

I found this too amusing not to pass along.

Mankiw notes that the "dropping money from a helicopter" notion goes back to Milton Frieman, but it's actually much more than merely a thought experiment:

From an old USA Today article:

Two children were injured in a scramble to grab cash being dropped from a helicopter as part of a promotion after a minor league baseball game.

About $1,000 in cash was dropped Saturday from the helicopter over Fifth Third Ballpark's outfield as children lined the outfield fence.

After the cash was dropped, the children scrambled. A 7-year-old boy was trampled and taken to a hospital, while a 7-year-old girl got a bloody lip after being pushed onto the ground.

The boy, Tino Rodriquez, of Grant, suffered bruises to his chest and back, said his grandmother, Rita Rodriquez.

"Doctors said he got trampled pretty good," she said.

The cash drop took place after the West Michigan Whitecaps' 3-0 win over the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays. It was the first time the Class A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers had conducted such a promotion.

"It's for fun and games," spokeswoman Katie Kroft said. "This is why we have everybody sign a waiver."

Of course, I doubt the Michigan Devil Rays were thinking of Friedman when they came up with the idea, but had probably seen Bull Durham one too many times and just said to themselves "Oh, what the hell!"