players

Rolled past Santa Barbara’s ancient Mission. Headed north. On the historic Camino Real. Built by Franciscan Monks. To connect their 21 western Missions, spaced one day’s journey apart by horse. Of course today’s drive up the Camino Real takes 21hrs, not 21 days. ’Cause the Real is now Highway 101. Running from LA to Oregon. And standing alongside the 101 are historic bells. Reminding travelers of a distant time. But

Hope all goes well. “Know what I’m naming my new yacht?” he asked, not bothering to even give me a ‘Hi, how are you?’ So I gave it my best guess: The Schmuck. “Nope, I’m naming it The Kuroda,” he said, giddy. Then carried on incessantly about how much he made in the wake of Kuroda’s first act as Bank of Japan governor. “Before the meeting I was literally throwing up in the toilet,” admitted one of Greenwich’s biggest

“We will do whatever it takes,” announced Bank of Japan’s new governor on Tuesday. Which was a line Draghi first sang last July in English, with a heavy Italian accent and a hint of Weimar German. Naturally, markets didn’t take Kuroda seriously, ’cause everyone knows the Japanese sing some mean karaoke but haven’t a clue what the lyrics mean. So the Nikkei swooned, the Yen soared. And Abe called a secret emergency me

“Cyprus changed the game, it was Europe’s Northern Rock moment, it was pivotal, we now really know how committed they are to one another,” explained the CIO of the best performing macro fund in recent years. Then that Dutch guy with the unpronounceable name said Cyprus was a template. “It’s like telling your mother-in-law she’s fat — no matter how hard you try, you can never take those words back,” he continued

Hope all goes well. “Cyprus changed the game, it was Europe’s Northern Rock moment, it was pivotal, we now really know how committed they are to one another,” explained the CIO of the best performing macro fund in recent years. Then that Dutch guy with the unpronounceable name said Cyprus was a template. “It’s like telling your mother-in-law she’s fat — no matter how hard you try, you can never take those words

Hope all goes well. Spring Break in Santa Barbara. Loaded our kiddies into the Prius; Jackson packed Lacrosse sticks, Olivia her violin, Teddy his hamster Harriott. Osama bin Charlie smuggled his coveted collection of Darth Vader Lego guys. And Mara and I flashed a glance at one another, suppressing a joy beyond expression. As the jam-packed circus car pulled out the driveway. With Grandma at the steering wheel. Taki

Ok, let’s keep it simple. Transitive. Politicians love power; and power requires money; therefore politicians love money. Which makes Cyprus so fascinating. Because their politicians ran out. Of money that is. Which is silly when you think about it. ’Cause it’s just paper. Unless of course, you don’t have a printing press. And no European politician does. Because Germans are haunted by their past; Germany’s past is d

“The reason the UK isn’t polar is the Gulf Stream,” he said, on a dreary, drizzling London evening. In mid-March. While any other city at 51.5 degrees latitude was freezing. Frozen. “Imagine if anything were to disrupt that flow.” And a tribe of shivering, kilted Scotsmen, with ice-cold stones, flashed through my mind. “Well, it feels like something’s changing,” said the CIO, one of Britain’s coolest cats, a saber-to

You get the Pope App? Me too. Yeah, I just love conclaves. Making odds. Placing bets. Then letting divine intervention guide the hand of fate. Of course, it always feels better to bet when you got more upside than down. So naturally I bet there’s a God, and we’re created in His image. I always bet people never change. And that human behavior repeats in endless cycles. Take Brazilian’s. Inflation’s rising again. Growt