On our current trip to Monaco we had the opportunity to drive a 1946 MG through the hillsides of France. The car had no doors, windows or even seatbelts. When the kind Frenchman gave me instructions on driving it and Launa asked about seatbelts he just laughed and said, “Ah, you don’t need seatbelts.” This…
DetailsLauna and I have a company conference in Monaco this month and decided to come a bit early and enjoy some time in our beloved Italy. I lived in Italy for two years when I was younger and love returning whenever possible. Our version of tourism is a bit different than most. Rather than racing…
DetailsComing home from a Salt Lake visit we flew the whole way under Instrument Flight Rules, or IFR, which means we were in the clouds. An IFR rating is very valuable, evidenced by a couple of younger pilots sitting in the airport lobby watching me take off, while they waited for the skies to clear.…
DetailsAs the saying goes, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” The sad reality is that most of the people I have dealt with who have lost money in fraudulent investment schemes have not been fools at all. They have been intelligent investors who are honorable in their business dealings. In most cases their…
DetailsOur daughter Natali plans great vacations, so when she invited us on a future photo safari, we were thrilled at the chance. We have always wanted to see Africa and being able to do so with a travelling expert made it all the more exciting. After checking all the cool travel sites, I decided to review…
DetailsEvery week my dad organized a family chess tournament among the kids, offering one dollar to the winner and an additional dollar if that winner could go on to beat him. I never lost one of those tournaments which made them increasingly fun for me but decreasingly fun for the other siblings. Eventually he added…
DetailsIn a recent column Andrew Sorkin commented, “We have a financial literacy epidemic in America.” His was referring in part to some foolish fiscal Ideas being floated by elected officials. Many of these ideas are coming from the younger members of congress, those of the so-called millennial generation. Millenials are often ridiculed by other generations for…
DetailsIn training, flight instructors often give challenges far beyond what you are likely to experience in a real flight by artificially simulating multiple system failures at the same time. On one challenging maneuver I missed an action to which my instructor replied, “Make sure you never forget to hit that switch in this situation.” Exhausted,…
DetailsI remember the very first time I held a five dollar bill of my own. I earned it by working 10 hours over two Saturdays at my Dad’s shop. When I got the job, I dreamed of the candy I would buy when payday came. But as I sat on my bed that day looking…
DetailsMany years ago I was affiliated with an investment firm that was bought out by an insurance company. We were promised the deal would improve service and product availability. As an added bonus the new company provided health insurance coverage to its reps. Initially it was a good relationship, with them leaving me alone to run…
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