Crazy Stunt Alert!

John "The Maverick" McCain has called for suspending the campaign and skipping Friday's debate in a manly demonstration of economic and leadership prowess. In other stunt news today:

LONDON, England (AP) -- Swiss pilot Yves Rossy is set to cross the English Channel strapped to a homemade jet-propelled wing, organizers said Thursday. Weather permitting, Rossy will leap from a plane more than 2,500 meters (2,700 yards) off the ground, fire up his jets and try to make the 35-kilometer (22-mile) from Calais in France to Dover in England in about 12 minutes, according to a statement put out by his organizers. Thursday's trip is meant to trace the route of French aviator Louis Bleriot, the first person to cross the Channel in an airplane 99 years ago. Rossy has told The AP he one day hopes to fly through the Grand Canyon.

Reports are that Rossy and his sponsors spent $285,000 developing the jet pack (seems like a remarkably low price to me, but the CD player may have been extra). At that price, $700 billion would buy approximately 24.5 million jet packs, or one for every twelve Americans. We’d have to learn to share.

AMENDMENT: In the bright light of day, I see that my math was off. (Perhaps I should pursue a career in investment banking). The $700 billion in taxpayer money would only buy two-and-a-half million jet packs. However, with production efficiencies and outsourcing to China, we may be able to stretch that budget.