What Can You Get For $8 Billion?

Bostonist didn't know what to think of the recent news that Harvard University's endowment has lost $8 billion so far this year. It sounds like a lot of money, but given all the billions being thrown around these days, what with the banking and auto industries asking Congress for really big early Christmas presents, it's difficult to tell exactly what $8 billion is worth. So we made a handy list of what $8 billion can get you in 2008 in Boston and beyond:

• 879,120,879 large BBQ combos at Chacarero.

• 800 million cocktails (1,875,000 gallons!) at Drink.

• 8 million $100 ham sandwiches at Persephone.

• A post-toll-hike trip through the Ted Williams tunnel for every man, woman and child in San Jose, California.

• 350,000 Boston liquor licenses at the alleged Dianne Wilkerson rate (26,666 at market rate).

• 305,000 '08 Ford Escapes for MBTA upper management.

• 28,570 Clark Rockefeller sized collections of gold coins.

• Dustin Pedroia's services through the year 3193 (approximately).

• Half a Big Dig.

• 6 new Yankee Stadiums.

• Three copies of Versailles.

• 1000 Alaskas (in 1867). (And 53,333 $150,000 Sarah Palin wardrobes, in 2008.)

• 41 days of the Iraq War.

• Based on Gross Domestic Product: Mozambique.