weekend notes

“The polls say I won the debate,” said the candidate, “but you and I know all about polls.” Perry Parker’s a good friend, we worked together for a decade, buying low, selling high. And having won in finance, he headed home to give back to Mississippi. When the 3rd congressional district seat opened up he made a bid. “The men say, ‘So you’re Trump without the tweets,’ and the women are like, ‘Exact

Hope all goes well… “I want to take the firm choice to defend democracy. It’s not a word we should become used to. It is a word with meaning which emerged from the battles of the past,” declared young Emmanuel Macron, urging Europe’s leaders to not become a “generation of sleepwalkers” in the shadow of authoritarianism rising in Poland, Hungary, the political fringe. “People haven’t given up on Eu

Hope all goes well… “I got money managers asking what happens if we wake one day and he’s gone?” bellowed Biggie Too in baritone. “But my DC peeps say only Colonel Sanders can stop a 2nd term for Trump.” You see, the secret service can’t stop the fried chicken assault, raining down by the bucket load, shock-and-artery-awe. “The world’s 500 greatest companies jump and dive on every contradictory tw

Hope all goes well… “Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles; Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances. Courage breeds creativity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it. Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience ask the question, is it right? And there comes

Hope all goes well… Dusted off an anecdote about great coaching, and the zone (see below). See you next Sunday with full weekend notes. Week-in-Review (expressed in YoY terms): Mon: China/US in trade talks and Mnuchin “cautiously hopeful,” China debuts renminbi-denominated oil futures, South Korea/US reach amended trade deal, Moody’s affirms South Africa rating (outlook stable), Zuma summoned to c

Hope all goes well… “What do you want to focus on today Charlie?” I asked, driving to practice. “Ground balls, getting open,” he said after a bit of reflection. “Both important parts of the game, sounds like a good plan,” I said. “Know why I don’t like doughnuts Daddy?” he asked, moving quickly from lacrosse to matters of substance. “Why little man?” I asked. “My mouth gets dry whenever I think ab

Hope all goes well… “How’d I do out there today Daddy?” asked Charlie. “You looked good little man. But did you have fun?” I asked. “Yeah, sure did.” That’s all that matters. My 4th child, my last time coaching 3rd grade lacrosse. “Do you prefer being cold or hot?” he asked, cheeks beet red, a chilly first practice under our belt. “Well, I’d rather freeze to death than burn,” I said. “Same,” he re

Hope all goes well… “Mate, seriously, what the hell is going on with your country?” asked my old buddy, Sunny in Sydney. Spent the week in Australia. Singapore too. And in my decades of travel, discussions, debates, never has this one question dominated all others. “America has actually become the Gong Show!” he cried, pulling up his iPhone newsfeed, replete with porn stars, trade wars, revolving

Hope all goes well… “Wanna hear a joke?” asked Charlie, my 3rd grader. I nodded. “Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump all get into a boat.” I smiled. “They row into the middle of the ocean.” Okay. “And it sinks.” Whoa, sounds awful. “So who survives?” asked my 8-year old. I shrugged, certain I hadn’t told a political joke until my mid-twenties. “America!” he howled, doing a little da