You know we're suffering economic hardship when even rich Americans won't shell out more than $16,000 for tea with Alan Greenspan and Andrea Mitchell.

That's a 64% drop from the $45,000 shelled out just one year ago.

My only question... would the man whose reputation has been beaten in the wake of the housing collapse, sign a copy of "Greenspan Bubbles: The Age of Ignorance at the Federal Reserve" for me?

By comparison, tennis lessons with Agassi stand at $70,000. VIP seats for Jim Cramer's Mad Money are going for $10,000. Attend the 2009 Inauguration Ceremony and meet the new president for $60,000. Or, meet Oprah for $12,000.

Don't get me wrong. It's for a great cause. But there's nothing like watching a bruised Fed ego get bruised even more.