Random Thoughts

What a difference a year makes.  For those of you with short memories, go to your “For What It’s Worth” file and re-read the March 2000 issue entitled “Irrational Exuberance.” If you  “misplaced” that file (or were not “lucky” enough to be on the mailing list back then), let me […]

Over the past month, I have been repeatedly reprimanded for my harsh condemnation of “Reality-based TV” and, in particular, the hit show “Survivor.”  Friends and family members who I’ve always considered to be reasonably intelligent (until now) were criticizing me for my unfair assessment of what they believed to be […]

For many people, the new year 2001 could not get here soon enough.  Just one year ago, folks across the country (and the world for that matter) were popping open champagne bottles, shooting off fireworks, dancing in the streets, and ringing in the millennial new year (366 days early).  The […]

The events of the past few weeks reminded me of a very unfair incident that occurred back in my school days.  I walked into class one day and was greeted with an unexpected pop quiz.  Always the scholar (geek), I was actually excited for the quiz because I was confident […]

With the campaign season upon us, I recently found myself sitting in front of the television (what a shock) watching a popular governor deliver a speech before a town hall audience.  I was very impressed with his understanding of the issues, his TV presence, and his charismatic delivery.  He appeared […]

Far be it for me to shy away from controversy.  Hopefully, some of you remember my March 2000 newsletter (“Irrational Exuberance”) where I expressed my unease about the valuations of the equity markets and the investor mentality that existed back then. That piece was later reprinted in an April issue […]

“Greed is good!!!”  Or so we were first told by Gordon Gekko in “Wall Street” and then again by Seth Davis in “Boiler Room.”  In reality, though “art imitates life,” we don’t have to see these movies to realize that we are living in very greed oriented times.  Popular TV […]

The other day I received an e-mail from an old college bud that contained an attachment of a Fortune Magazine article entitled “America’s Forty Richest Under Forty.”  Though I felt fairly certain that I did not make the top 40 again this year, I quickly scanned the list to see […]

I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud to be an American than I am today.  Once considered an arrogant, self centered people, only concerned with ourselves, we have suddenly been transformed into an educated, well read group eagerly soaking up all the current events that affect the country and […]

I remembered the first time I ever logged onto the internet.  I had been putting off the inevitable for far too long, somewhat fearful of this unknown world.  The very name itself, “World Wide Web”, seemed so overwhelming, not to mention the thought of anything that has to do with […]