Not A Mystery
Bob Gelber
For Those Too Young To Remember Miss Clairol, A New Metaphor
Where’s Shirley Polykoff when you need her? It’s been a tough few weeks for investors. The other day I came across this observation while reading a financial report: First investors had their hair set on fire by the “flash crash” of May 6. Then came the jolt of June, as stocks lost another 5.2% and finished … Continue reading
For Retiring Times, Make It Diageo Time
It’s always better to have been born lucky than to have been born smart. That’s just my opinion, but the evidence is all around us. Take for example, Unfunded Pension Liabilities. You could have worked most of your life for a Private Company that didn’t put enough money into their pension scheme to actually pay … Continue reading
NYC Notes: Princes To The Left, Princes To The Right
We left NYC just before our invitations to the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic arrived. Drats. Who would’ve guessed, polo in the midst of the city, with fancy attendees acting out a great scene from Pretty Woman, by stomping-on-the-divots during half time. Plus a plethora of pretty faces, some of them Royal. And perhaps here’s an example … Continue reading
NYC Notes: Finally, A Wall Street Guy You Can Believe In
No trip to NYC would be complete without a Bagel Schmear. When I was a kid growing up in the Bronx, my Dad would take me to what he called “The Bagel Factory” early on Saturday mornings. I was too young to remember where exactly it was, but I do recall the noise of the ‘elevated’ … Continue reading
Europe’s Oldest Political Body Now Swatting At Mosquitoes
Technology can be used to solve some of mankind’s thorniest problems. I read about the “mosquito” several years ago. It’s a gizmo that emits an irritating, high-pitched sound that can be heard only by children and people into their early 20s, and is used to prevent teenagers congregating outside shops, schools and railway stations. It … Continue reading
Give Dad A Manly Rat For Father’s Day
As a recovering procrastinator, I am big on last-minute gift ideas. Here’s one for Father’s Day, and there is still plenty of time. Hours even. So what’t the gift? A Manly Rat. That’s also smart. Specifically, an African giant pouched rat, about 30 inches long including tail. These are he-man rats, the kind that send cats … Continue reading
Volcker Rule Gives Investment Banks A “Woodie”
The US Congress is getting close to passing new financial regulation, attempting to rein in our friends on Wall Street. Pending legislation would limit Investment Banks’ ability to trade for their own accounts, and effectively bar them from trading derivatives. The bankers are pushing back. Surprised? The big banks argue that the Volcker proposal is … Continue reading
Hey BP, This Barrel’s For You!
You’d think a barrel would just be a barrel. But no, it turns out that a barrel of oil is 30% smaller than a barrel of wine. F2U Rio Linda a barrel of oil holds 42 gallons, while a barrel of wine holds 60 gallons. I discovered this the other day while standing in front … Continue reading
NYC Notes: It’s Getting Harder And Harder To Do What I’m Told
I always do what I’m told, as long as I can understand what’s expected. Which, during our week in NYC, was easier said than done. For example suppose you are on a NYC subway and have an emergency. What you are expected to do depends on what kind of emergency is in progress. If you stop … Continue reading
NYC Notes: I’m Not A Traveling Tool, Really
Back to our NYC Notes with a few more travel tools, for you traveling tools. Today we will talk restaurants. While I’ve used Zagat, Yelp and Open Table before we got to NYC, I must say that they really shine in a big city with a high density of good restaurants. And when you couple … Continue reading
Only Us Fools
Today a quick intermission from our NYC Notes. Deborah Solomon interviewing Christopher Hitchens about his just-published memoir. Did you write the book for money? Of course, I do everything for money. Dr. Johnson is correct when he says that only a fool writes for anything but money. It would be useful to keep a diary, … Continue reading
Just Another Mystery
- Weaving A Different Kind of Necklace
- Jumping into Spring
- The Art of Using Natures Bounty to Dye Cloth
- A Shibori Stitched and Felted Wrap
- Faux Fur, Vogue and Verve
- The Perfect Dance, Part 2
- The Perfect Dance
- The Vest That Mysteriously Turned Into A Purse
- Vintage Kimono Baby Booties
- Zipper, Keys, and a Linen Belt Buckle
Sterling Jewelry & Gifts
Not A Mystery 