Back from the Beast

NYC is still there, a weird conjunction of the spectacular and the drab. The architecture and museums are wonderful sights to behold. The people are still stuck in the mud - figuratively. They mostly wear drab black, dark blue, dark browns and grey. The color of muck is yuck. Your writer, of course, tried to bring some color into that boring milieu with bright ties, colored shirts and pocket silk handkerchiefs. I had quite a bit of success, at least from the compliments I got from several beautiful women unknown to me ... and still unknown to me !

What's new from the Beast ?

Taxi fares are up a lot. Rides that used to cost me $6 are now $10. Metaphorically, one leaves a trial to $10 and $20 bills traveling through the city. Subway fares are up, too, to $2.25 a ride. Net of the multi-ride discount, it's $2/ride.

Business seems rather active. My favorite sushi restaurant seems to be doing fine; it had a good number of Japanese businessmen there on a Monday evening.

I heard Karl Rove speak yesterday at a luncheon at the Union League Club. His talk was interesting, but far too short. And it was concentrated on tossing some red meat to the crowd of businessmen and financiers who lost friends in the 9/11 attack. Publicity and $$$ overruled courtesy, as he left early for his book tour. It was typical behavior of the ruling class from RC.

Markets

Grinding higher, moving my put speculation further into the red. This is definitely purgatory for my breaking the Green-Red rule. :(

Fido Fund owns DVN. It will be up sharply at it seems to have gotten a good price for the deep water drilling assets to be sold to BP. I've been waiting for this deal and will likely sell soon to take the sugar.

Word of the Day

"Rebarbative" - adjective [$10] literary
Rebarbative means repellent, unattractive.
Sentence: The rebarbative dress of most New Yorkers shows no signs of joi de vivre - the joy of living: no spring colors, just drab winter gloom.