The Fun Lens
The Ghost and the Foreteller
"I'm sorry. The last thing I should be doing as a ghost is scaring people. But, you know, I don't have a choice," Jake Orbs-Blanket says to Sybil Clinton. Sybil, terrified, is not used to seeing ghosts, especially not in her office where one expects to encounter, what's the word—humans? She should have seen the signs: the displaced jewelry, the mysterious lights, the disembodied laughter, the screams, the footsteps, the ringing bells, and the violin playing at night. As a foreteller, it's a bit of a conundrum that she never sees anything coming. "Are you, you know?" Sybil stammers, more stating than asking. "I was hoping you'd see me coming," Jake chirps. "You're a foreteller, right, like an oracle? I...
Meta’s Response to TikTok Controversy: A Message of Appreciation to US Lawmakers
Hello, we’re Facebook, and we’d like to express our deepest thanks to the lawmakers and policymakers of the US for considering a nationwide ban on all electronic devices against those folks at TikTok. We’re pleased that a house panel recently unanimously approved a bill that could ban their practices. It’s about time. What kind of social media platform dares to develop an algorithm that immerses a billion monthly users in a feed that’s so relevant as to be addictive to our very own users?
We Will Sell Airplanes, Satellites, and Mid-Flight Plunges
To our esteemed consumers, airline customers, shareholders, regulators, and all those willing to give us a chance,
We are excited to announce a bold new direction for our company (Boeing). It is high time we diversify and secure new sources of revenue. Moving forward, please be advised that we will continue to design, manufacture, and sell our traditional lineup of airplanes, rockets, missiles, and satellites. Additionally, we are thrilled to introduce an exciting array of new experiences, including mid-flight plunges, post-takeoff blow-offs, exotic safety episodes, and flight control jams.
Move Over, Swifties: Miley Cyrus's Flowers Is Pop, Disco, Rock, Funk, Flamenco, Country, Snubs, Reaffirmation of Political & Economic Dogma, A Powerful Reflection on America's World Standing, And an Essay on Eschatology
Move Over, Swifties: Miley Cyrus's Flowers Is Pop, Disco, Rock, Funk, Flamenco, Country, Snubs, Reaffirmation of Political & Economic Dogma, A Powerful Reflection on America's World Standing, And an Essay on Eschatology
Ideas for Evolving ID's
Game Changer:
From Landing New Goals to Inspiring New Lives
The Investor
Invest Smarter to Create Wealth
The Traveler
The World Is Yours
The Entrepreneur
Best Start-up's Gotta Be Yours
The Gourmet
Feasts, Fun & Follies
The Hobbyist
Do your Dream
The Creator
Foster the Artist in You
The Ethicist
Share & Honor our Planet, Cultivate Love
How to Be Happy, Starting... Now
What It Takes to Be Happy
Now is the time. Now is forever, the time to be happy. No matter what. How? Here is the secret. The great minds of the world tell you. Health. Ethics. Passion. Soulmates. Family. Work. Even how to deal with... the Impossible. The power of imagination. Humor. Money. Charity and generosity. Altruism. Enjoy and beware. FUNanc!al. Be happy.
Investors, Insiders, Hunters
The Best Hedge Funds for Exceptional Investment Returns
This article lists some of the most successful hedge funds based on the quality of their management, track record, key strategic focus, risk management, fee structure, and other criteria. Hedge funds follow various strategies to offer investors a compelling, but risky investment alternative. Investing with one requires a high minimum investment and specific wealth profile (high net worth, high-income generation threshold) from accredited investors. Hedge funds charge (approx.) a 2% management and 20% performance fee. The idea or hope is that they are worth it.
Biohaven (BHVN), Voxx (VOXX), Asana (ASAN), and Carnival (CUK, CCL) Lead Insider Purchases the Week of 10/9/2023
Biohaven (BHVN), Voxx (VOXX), Asana (ASAN), and Carnival (CUK, CCL) constituted some of the top insider purchases the Week of 10/9/2023. CEO Vlad Coric, an astute biotech entrepreneur and investor (you can read about him here) bought $10 million worth of stock of BHVN at $22.00 a share, as did director John Childs, on 10/5. After Pfizer spent $11.6 billion to buy Biohaven's migraine treatment assets, including an already approved drug, the firm's operations focus on treatments for epilepsy, spinal muscular atrophy, and a protein degradation program with multiple potential uses. Steven Downing, Director, bought over $15 million worth of shares in the auto and consumer electronics supplier Voxx International Corp. (VOXX). The stock actually rallied more than 20% on 10/11 after Gentex Corp....
Largest Insider Stock Purchases Belonged in Biotech and Energy the Week of 9/18/23
Two verticals constituted the lion share of insider purchases last week. In biotech, Neumora Therapeutics (NMRS) saw Amgen (AMGN) and the CEO buying shares. Rayzebio (RYZB) and Ambrx Bio (AMAM) also saw large insider accumulation. In the energy field, Chargepoint Holding (CHPT), Highpeak Energy (HPK) (where both the CEO and the President bought), Enphase Energy (ENPH), CNX Resources (CNX), and Riley Exploration (REPX) also saw insiders acquire substantial amounts of shares. Outside the biotech and energy verticals, of note are insider purchases at Maplebear (Instacart) (CART), Asana (ASAN) (where the CEO has been buying shares for months), and Westrock Coffee (WEST). CHPT buyer Wil VanLoh founded Quantum Energy Partners in 1998 and serves as CEO of the firm and as Chairman...
Veblen, Inflation, Hedges
In The Theory of the Leisure Class, Thorstein Veblen develops the theory of wasteful or conspicuous consumption. He defines it as spending more money on goods than they are worth. Essentially, it's about spending to impress. Turns out, luxury goods can do well in inflationary times (along with land and real estate, commodities, oil and gas, metals and mining, agriculture stocks, the type of assets that rocketed during the 70's). It is a bit of a paradox, of course, but vanity can go a long way. Spoiler #1, Veblen was not exactly a bona fide capitalist... Spoiler #2, the stock of Ferrari has been a standout since it went public toward the end of 2015, but RACE remains expensive at current price. Spoiler...
Travelers, Explorers, Adventurers
São Jorge Castle, Belém Tower, Pastéis de Belém, Belcanto, The Four Seasons Ritz, Lisbon, Portugal
The people, weather, water, arts and architecture and other sights, shopping, and cuisines, make it well worth visiting Lisbon, Portugal, and we can't wait to be back already. Enjoy São Jorge Castle, Belém Tower, Pastéis de Belém, Belcanto, The Four Seasons Ritz, Lisbon, Portugal. Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the second-oldest European after Athens, predating other modern European capitals, not to mention New York City or Los Angeles, by centuries. But it's also beautiful, fun, and rejuvenating.
The Merrion, the Scones, Guinness, the Arts, Dublin, Ireland
First time in Dublin and hopefully won't be the last. It all started at the Merrion, one of the top hotels in town along with the Shelbourne and the Westbury. Located in the heart of Dublin city center (unlike the Intercontinental, another solid alternative), it is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Service was magnificent. Truly one of a kind. They made Covid testing a breeze (right in our room, how much easier can it be?). Afternoon Tea in the Drawing Rooms was quite pleasant, the scone original, although the pastries in general weren't quite as good as we would have liked. Of course, I was born in France, feel free to disregard... Only hiatus, a last-minute...
Entrepreneurs & Game Changers
Start Your Own Business and Rock the Universe!
Did you found Google? Facebook? Twitter? A hundred percent of the people who started a firm that later rocked the world, well, STARTED IT. Sure, it’s honorable to work at a company, any company. But how about sailing on your own and flying to new heights? Taking a chance? Scary? Yes it is, but not much more than the prospect of getting fired or, worse(?), doing a possibly suboptimal job for the rest of your life somewhere in corporate America, I don’t care if it’s at Coca-Cola, General Electric, or some small outfit in Kansas, Texas, or California. You don’t have a job? Then it’s a no-brainer. Why wait to be hired when you can hire yourself? Right away, right now…...
Gourmands & Epicureans
Duryea in Montauk, NY: The Lobster Roll and The Views Rock!
The lobster roll is excellent - and expensive, at $45, but this is the Hamptons after all, beware! Not sure what they put in this, it's a one-of-a-kind experience. Maybe it does not have quite the refinement of the roll you'll get at The Bernardin in New York City or the pure freshness slash taste bud capital delight the roll you'll get at Neptune Oyster in Boston's North End, but it's truly an enjoyable ride. No need to order French fries with it by the way, the roll comes with chips that are good enough (but nothing to write home about) and not too salty. This said, the French fries make for another feast. The portions are massive and potatoes light and...
Modern Apizza Still Rocks!
Tried some serious pies in Naples and Rome and various US cities (New York, both Brooklyn and Manhattan, Providence, Boston, LA's Mozza, etc.) and, if they tell me there's pizza on Mars, I'll fly there. Been coming here at Modern Apizza for years. Many consider the clams casino a classic. The white clam (and varieties) in/around New Haven, CT, is a must; Pepe's, Sally's, and Zuppardi's have their own version, all quite compelling. (Please, do not discount Zuppardi's, with lemon it's amazing.) At Modern, the Italian Bomb used to be my favorite, but these days I try to consume less meat, both for health reasons and, you know, animal lives matter. I'm no vegetarian, but if they tell me, you can...
Zuppardi's White Clam Pizza Puts Pepe's to Shame
Alright, there you have it. Don't get me wrong, the white clam at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana is a terrific pizza. But so is Zupp's. Just add a little lemon - or lots, as I do. Gotta love the lemon/white clam combo. The homepage of Zupp's states, "Anthony Zuppardi’s legacy lives on through his children and grandchildren who continue to operate Zuppardi’s Apizza today. Working with the same integrity as that of Dominic and Anthony, the Zuppardi family strives to provide their customers with quality New Haven-style apizza." It's true all the way. Zuppardi’s White Clam classic is a white pizza prepared with shucked-to-order littleneck clams baked on fresh dough with a mixture of garlic and spices. It is a delight....
Better than Ecstasy, Jacques Genin's Ganaches, Pralinés, Caramels, and Pâtes de Fruit
Better than Ecstasy, Jacques Genin's Ganaches, Pralinés, Caramels, and Pâtes de Fruit enchant and tantalize. Try any of the fondeur en cholocat's friandises, and you'll most likely become a regular.
Hobbyists & PassionBeasts
Gardening for the Clueless
OK, I have never gardened. Not once in my life. Just read "Grow your Own Green Market," an article in the Wall Street Journal published on May 7, 2022. I live in a house and the house does have a garden. Brainstorming. Maybe I should give it a shot.
The News Made Personal
Climbing Arrow Ranch Sold for $136 million AND CHANGE - DISCLAIMER
Underdeveloped but gorgeous nonetheless estate in Montana went for around $135 million. I was NOT one of the bidders...
Pleaeaease, stop asking.
Twelve Things to Do in Retirement
Car pioneer Henry Ford once said, "Think you can, think you can’t; either way, you’ll be right." True in life, true in retirement. To which Louis Armstrong smartly added, "Musicians don’t retire; they stop when there’s no more music in them." Keep the music on then... Retirement can be a wonderful time. Here are twelve things to do when you reach your golden years... 1. Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle. You know, the usuals. Exercise. Eat healthy. Avoid excess salt or sugar, smoking, drugs. Drink lots of water, alcohol responsibly. Get enough sleep. 2. Fight Solitude. Socialize, nurture relationships with spouse, significant others, kids, grandkids, family, and friends. Create new bonds, break barriers and boundaries. Consider adopting a pet, if you are so inclined. It's...
Numbers to Numb Us
72% of Shoppers Are Trading Down
The penny-pinching is extending to more discretionary purchases. Seventy-two percent of consumers plan to look for less expensive alternatives this holiday season as a result of inflation, according to a survey of 2,200 U.S. adults by Morning Consult, a research company. That's a lot of people. But not me. It's because I know better. I'm buying zero. That's right, zero, as in 0. The US Inflation Rate has hit a delightful four decade and a half high at 8.20%, compared to 8.26% last month and 5.39% last year. This is rather comfortably higher than the long term average of 3.27%. Meanwhile, a rocky stock market is eroding the wealth of many. Count me in. Not just rocky. Innovators, the long-duration stocks of...
President's Jets, Z'That Count as Inflation?
Maybe that's why. Boeing Co. is trying to replace Air Force One, and it seems to be a challenging task. Costly, too, for both the plane maker’s shareholders and U.S. taxpayers (yup, that's us) who must foot the bill to keep the president’s aging float flying longer. The American multinational corporation, the same that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, satellites, telecommunications equipment, missiles, and rockets worldwide (It sure is rocket science, isn't it?) has a hard time getting its act together. It expects to lose $766 million more on the high-profile, years-late project to transform two 747-8 jumbo jets (2 is 1+1 so not that many, right?) into flying White Houses. This brings Boeing's total losses related to the endeavor to nearly $2 billion, according to securities filings (as...
Fun on Stars to Learn & Shine
Elon Musk, Much Elan = Must Emulate
In a tweet sent on July 25, 2022, Elon Musk writes that he "will try (his) best to be heads down focused on doing useful things for civilization." The founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer at SpaceX; angel investor, CEO, and Product Architect at Tesla, Inc., founder of The Boring Company; and co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI (a sample of his achievements to date) has an estimated net worth of around US$242 billion as of July 25, 2022. As such, he qualifies as the wealthiest person in the world according to both the Bloomberg Billionaires Index and Forbes' real-time billionaires list. His bio is worth checking out, offers lots of food for thought. Here is a small sample. 1. Move, Move, and Move Again Elon was born in June 1971 in Pretoria, South...