Mansion madness

F. Scott Fitzgerald said a mouthful. The rich are different from you and me.

For starters, they have more money.

Like John L. Thornton, 54, a former Goldman Sachs partner and chairman of the Brookings Institution.

He just bought a mansion in Palm Beach, Fla. For $77.5 million. Throw in closing costs, and the purchase price jumps to $81 mil.

That’s a record for mansion-buying.

Frankly, I think he overpaid.

Hey, don’t get me wrong. It’s a nice pad.

According to the Palm Beach Post, “The estate boasts 5 lushly landscaped acres and 300 feet of ocean frontage. The 32,000-square-foot home was designed by Thierry Despont, who also created Bill Gates’ mansion. The living room includes 26-foot ceilings and 20-foot-high glass panels that disappear into the floor at the push of a button. The home also features a wine cellar, pool, waterfalls, staff quarters and an air chiller and 27-zone air conditioning system.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Personally, I wouldn’t have forked over more than $60 mil.

Maybe $65 mil, but not a penny more.

Sometimes, you just gotta draw the line.