Unite Against Terror

I enjoy my hobbies. Other than my family, I think hobbies really are what make life fun. Isn’t that why we work? We work to have fun and are often. Hopefully our work is fun as well, don’t get me wrong, but it is the time where we get to pursue what we find enjoyable that we work for. For those of us that are particularly fortunate, are hobbies and our work cross paths. Fortunately I’m one of those people.

Designing on a computer has been something I’ve enjoyed all my life, but didn’t really take seriously until college. I tried out a variety of majors and ended up graduating with a degree that I don’t use. All along the way through college, though, I continued to improve my skills in designing a computer. So, in the end, that is what I ended up doing his job. These days I still design websites, online offers, etc. but my real focus is online marketing. All these things I find to be an enjoyable challenge, so I do enjoy my work.

What I really enjoy are some of my hobbies I do whenever I have the chance. Photography is a real passion, which is something I mentioned before. Yet, there are so many other things I like to try. Backspace and that is my problem. I like trying many things. I may not be all that good at any particular thing, but I enjoy the challenge of trying to get better. I like to golf, and I’m not that good but I enjoy the game regardless. I enjoy shooting firearms because there is a challenge to getting better and it requires practice to maintain your skills. The list goes on. I feel very fortunate in having the opportunity to do a variety of hobbies, I just wish I had much more time in which to do them!

So that is my dilemma, too many fun things that I’d like to do, and not enough time in which to do them. I know, poor me, such a difficult problem to have. I don’t write this to try and find somebody out there, but I do hope I’m not the only one in this situation.

Have you ever been in the kind of discussion where everyone brings up the things they would do if they had unlimited funds? You know, where everyone talks about if they had enough money to retire now what they would do. Inevitably these discussions lead to someone saying, “Well, that would be fun for a time, but eventually you would get tired of it and go back to work.” I find this completely crazy. Maybe I’m just naïve, but I sure would like the opportunity to test this theory out. I have so many interests, and I’m sure I could find so many more, but I would never tire of things to do. I could spend weeks if not months just working on certain aspects of photography and trying to get better. I could travel. I could put photography and travel together, and I don’t think I could ever tire of just even that. Throw in some golf, and spent a lot of time with my family, and I would be a happy man.

I am sure I would find one of my hobbies would end up including a type of work, but it would be something I would do at my pace and on things that I want to do. You wouldn’t find me being one of those people that has money and feels the need to invest in new businesses solely for the purpose of creating new money… hopefully. I’ve seen way too many people that have made a few million dollars, think they have the Midas touch, and then turn around and lose that money in their next business endeavor. Perhaps this is why I will never be a rich man; I don’t have that kind of drive to want to make more. Sure, I have some numbers in my mind that I’d like to read someday, and I hope the effort I am making with get me there. Once I get there, I see myself being happy to be there and willing to live off the interest of money made, rather than trying to make twice or three times what I have already achieved. Of course reality is that I will just continue much of the level I am at, and I’m pretty happy with that. But we all have to have dreams!

So being the realist about I am, I look at my current schedule and try to figure out where I can sit in some time to “play” while still addressing all my family and work responsibilities. Isn’t that the name of the game? Isn’t that what we’ll have to do? But it all comes down to priorities, and some things come first. Fortunately, I have a lovely wife (she reads this blog, so you know I have to say that) who makes it possible for me to have some time to pursue some of these hobbies.

The second problem with these hobbies, it’s not just time, but it is money. The old phrase “the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys” is as true as any statement could be. All of the hobbies I have listed in this post take money, and if you’re serious about the hobby, they take plenty of it. When you get into photography, it’s not just the cost of the camera which is plenty, to begin with, it’s all the possible lenses you can try out. Getting a good lens can set you back $1000, $2000 or even much more. The much more category is way out of my league, but I do have a couple of lenses in the lower range. Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to do some work that justifies the cost of these lenses, but that’s not always the case. Once you get going on a hobby, it’s hard to stop. Same goes with the other hobbies I listed. Only so much money to go around, and that goes back to the priorities discussion.

So clear is a rant somewhere in this long diatribe against it would be that I wish I had a bit more time and money to do the fun things in life. I guess I’ll just have to work a little harder to make that happen.

Are you a geek? Do you know what the difference is between an AT-AT and an AT-ST? Do you even know what I’m talking about? If not, then you may not be as geeky as you thought. Sure, you may enjoy a good Star Trek once in a while, but did you know those two things I mentioned earlier are actually from Star Wars? They’re those wild mechanical transport/attack beasts used against the rebels. They shoot laser beams that go ‘pew pew’ and everyone runs scared.

But I digress.

Geeks love to learn. They are smart and dedicated to becoming even smarter. So here’s a useful visual that walks you through 50 (that’s all!?) things that a geek should know. Think of it like an IQ test mixed with a dating test (like on one of those dating sites) combined with bar trivia. If you get to know every single one of the things listed below, then kudos! You’re a geek!

If you know even half of them, then you’re probably a geek! Let’s be clear though. It’s OK to be a geek. This isn’t Revenge of the Nerds you know. Geeks rule the world and will continue to do so for quite some time. There are worse things you can be. So, how geeky are you?

I confess I am clueless when it comes to buying and selling stock. Oh, I understand the general idea is to buy low and sell high, but beyond that, I am pretty much in the dark. If I could ever get enough money together that I felt like I could invest in some significant way, I would trust someone to do it for me that knows much better how to watch and use trends.

An article today about yet another big drop in the Dow for a variety of reasons reminded me of just how volatile the market can be, and why I don’t like to take risks with it.

Generally speaking, I don’t think of myself as stupid; in fact, I think I am smarter than the average guy right along with Yogi Bear. Typically if I don’t know something, I can research and educate myself. Perhaps I have never done enough research on markets, but there are some subjects I have decided I am just not wired for. Along with chemistry, trading and taxes rank right up there. Thankfully my wife handles the taxes and I no longer have to deal in the nuts and bolts of chemistry (I stunk at it in college, trust me).

Way back when I did a little buying and selling of stock with companies I was involved in some fashion. I pretty much ended up even after some good gains and then some losses that humbled me. That was enough to scare me away.

I feel comfortable with subjects that have a level of predictability and logic I can understand. Oh, you stock types like to think you can predict the markets, but most of you are just making good guesses more often than not, which gets you ahead. Any given day the market can, and often does, take unexpected turns that defy logic. I have seen it numerous times when a company makes a huge announcement that should drive their price up, only to see it tumble as people are selling off all at once thinking they were going to reap a windfall along with everyone else.

Even in my meager attempts socking away for the future I haven’t had much success. I started up a 401k and Roth IRA this year right before the market took some tumbles. The result? I ended with a loss in my first quarter of retirement savings. Gee, now I feel great about putting that money in at just the right time. I know, I know; I am still doing the right thing; but, nothing like a punch in the gut to make me feel better about it.

Any of you have been lucky with it? You have any secret I should know about? Please, do share.

I first used the word “fragile” in the title of this rant, but I thought weak was more appropriate. I make that note because I am sure I would have plenty of people reminding me that light bulbs are by nature fragile, so take care. I am not talking about the fact that if you drop them, step on them or otherwise destroy them, you get what you deserve. I am talking about how these light bulbs have the life span seemingly equal to that of a short-lived to fly, or something another educational sounding reference. Is this just Murphy having a good laugh at my expense that after I have so proudly mentioned earlier that I hung my lights early this year, beating the snow, that the bulbs at the absolute highest point on my house have already burned out?

These are brand new bulbs! And to add to my argument, these are bulbs for Christmas lights – you’d think they would be built to be a little hearty considering how they are supposed to be used. Mounted on a house, with no shortage of getting bounced around in the process, left out in the cold and burned at for hours on end. Isn’t this what they are designed to do? I refuse to get up on my slick roof now just to change out a few bulbs, but they bug me every time I drive up to the house at night – those gaps in my nicely hung uniform lines just glare brightly with the absence of what should belong. I never realized the absence of light could stand out in such a pronounced fashion. No longer do people notice what you have displayed, rather what is missing.

Let’s move indoors now to those little cheap strings of lights we encircle our tree with. These quaint little bulbs seem near indestructible when you look at them. You throw that strand round and round and end up with a nice little display to compliment that traditional tree. If you make it through the actual hanging process intact, chances are within the coming weeks, prior to Christmas of course, a bulb or two will go out. If you get the more expensive variety, one bulb out is no problem, the rest of the strand looks great. But, if you were cheap and got the lowest priced variety, the whole strand is a goner, leaving you to guess at which bulb is the culprit. Ever spent 15 minutes tearing up your fingertips pulling out and replacing each bulb one at a time in a seemingly futile effort to rejuvenate your lighting display? Ever felt your blood pressure rise through the roof because you made it all the way to the end of the strand, and it still didn’t start working. Argh! This means there are two or more bulbs now out. Trust me, pony up for the better variety with redundancy built into the wiring. Your sanity will thank you. Either that or just toss the strand that goes out and gets a new one, which is, of course, a great example of our throwaway attitude this day.

Christmas is the season of good cheer and happy thoughts. I remind myself of that every time those nagging burnt out bulbs show up. Just think happy thoughts.

Kinross Gold Corp is talking with three main lenders on its $1.6 billion Tasiast gold mine expansion and will review terms later this month, though the project looks unlikely if gold prices do not rebound, the company said on Thursday.

Kinross, the world’s fifth-largest gold producer by output, said it has not yet made a decision on Tasiast, its biggest expansion project, but plans to issue an update at the end of the first quarter of 2015.

Repeating that it would not advance any project that weakens its balance sheet, Kinross said key lenders considering the project are Export Development Canada, the government’s export credit agency; the U.S. Export-Import Bank, an export development branch of the U.S. government; and French development agency Proparco.

Toronto-based Kinross, which reported better-than-expected quarterly results after markets closed on Wednesday, has said it is considering financing of $700 million to $750 million toward Tasiast, with the balance from existing cash balances and cash flow.

The price of gold, which plunged 28 percent last year, has recently slumped to four-year lows. On Thursday, prices edged slightly higher to $1,144.70 an ounce as a retreat in the dollar relieved some pressure.

“At $1,100 gold, all of our mines are forecast to be cash flow positive, with the exception of Tasiast. In fact, the same is true for $1,000 gold, when the current oil price and foreign currency exchange is factored in,” Chief Executive Paul Rollinson said on a conference call with analysts.

“Nevertheless, we will continue to look for ways to further optimize our operations and reduce costs. As we begin our 2015 budgeting process, there are a number of discretionary options we will focus on in order to reduce spending without impacting operations.”

Kinross, which has operations in North and South America, Africa and Russia, currently benefits from a lower oil price and weaker foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, Rollinson said.

Gold producers are looking for ways to further reduce costs as the price of bullion slides, considering job cuts, shutting mines, halting projects and scrapping dividends.

Kinross shares jumped 32 Canadian cents to C$2.59 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday morning. Dundee Capital Markets analyst John Wolfson said the share gains stem primarily from the strong quarter and operating results.

CME Group, alongside Thomson Reuters, has simplified and made more secure the silver price bench-marking system, it said.

The two parties jointly rolled out their new silver price bench-marking system on August 15 after winning the administration of the process in July.

“We’re very proud of what we have been able to accomplish in our partnership with the LMBA, Thomson Reuters and the silver market in such a short time,” Harriet Hunnable, managing director of precious metals at CME Group, said at a media briefing here on Wednesday.

“[To improve the system] we’ve done some simple things, like making it easier to see. The traders wanted to have bigger fonts, so we did that. But we also did technology work as it relates to security requirements,” she added.

Its main focus is to provide increased functionality to facilitate central clearing, CME also said.

“It became very clear when we went into silver that the bilateral settlement that it would be better for the marketplace to have central clearing, which enables a much wider group of participants to come in and transact,” Hunnable added. “It also means that they are transacting with each other, which means much less counter-party risk.”

Under the new rules, the price discovery takes place at noon London time via an electronic auction, with each auction round lasting 30 seconds.

An opening price is selected; participants then decide how much they would like to buy and sell at that price.

If the discrepancy between buy and sell orders is more than 300,000 ounces, the auction price will change and the auction will restart. Each time the auction restarts, it clears the order book entirely – any orders must be re-entered.

This process repeats until the buy and sell volumes are within that 300,000-ounce tolerance level, at which point the London Silver Price is set.

Amid tighter regulatory requirements for verifiable data, CME says that it will be able to show that not only were the trades agreed upon but they also were settled, giving total confidence that the price reflects true buying and selling, Hunnable said.

“In a very short time, we’ve taken a market that was doing this on pen and paper on the telephone to an electronic platform,” she added. “We have moved from a small group – we have almost doubled our participants that are signed up and active in the silver platform today.”

“This is the end of old club, so there’s no fixed number. The LBMA sets the criteria and we think it’s important that the level of participant goes up but we don’t take a view on that the right level might be,” she said.

JP-Morgan Chase Bank became the fifth accredited member of the silver pricing benchmark last week, alongside HSBC Bank USA, Mitsui & Co Precious Metals, The Bank of Nova Scotia-ScotiaMocatta and UBS AG.

CME Group/Thomson Reuters have also submitted a combined bid to the LBMA for the administration of the new gold price bench-marking mechanism, alongside seven other proposals. The LBMA hopes to make a decision next month, with the new system to be implemented later this year or early in 2015.

“The scale for gold is much bigger. So is the fact that we have been through a transition and we know that the technology works. We have set rules and we know the code of conduct. This will make the transition for gold much easier. This is proven and is the only ready platform,” Hunnable said.

The ancient city of Fez beckons the traveler with a plethora of medieval delights, sights, sounds and sensory experiences that heartily encompass the soul of old Morocco. The walled city (dating to the ninth century) remains devoted to its history and culture. Home to hundreds of mosques, the city embraces stately Muslim traditions while showcasing for visitors such attractions as exquisite architectural wonders and a spicy cuisine all its own. A labyrinth of mysticism, sections of Fez take the visitor back in time hundreds of years, an inviting and compelling trip to the past. While in Fez, stay in a traditional riad house, take an authentic cooking class and tour a stunning medersa, all located in the famous Medina of Fez.

Riad Saada Fez

Located in the heart of the Fez Medina, this extraordinary guest house is a heritage site available for rental. Two families live here and assist with all aspects of the guest stay including cooking and sightseeing. They aim to give the visitor a more authentic experience of Morocco via their beautiful and historic riad house, which comes complete with all amenities. Enjoy a home-cooked meal with such traditional choices as couscous with lamb or beef and seasonal vegetables or pigeon tajine with peas.

Riad Saada Fes
Rabia et Pierre Mure
44 Bois du Luget
33290 LE PIAN MEDOC
011 (+33) 5 56 70 29 56
www.riadsaada.com/

Medersa el-Attarine

Don’t miss the beautifully decorated Medersa el-Attarine (also known as Attarine Madrasa), located by the spice and perfume market in the Medina of Fez. (A madrasa is a religious school.) The Medersa el-Attarine, with its spectacular rectangular courtyard, was commissioned by the Marinid Sultan Ya’qub Abu Said Uthman II, and completed in 1325. It features masterpieces in tile, centering around the word “Allah” in calligraphy and expanding to fill the confines of the courtyard.

Fez Cooking Class

Known as the capital of Moroccan cuisine, Fez is the ideal place to take a class in Moroccan cooking. You’ll learn traditional methods of preparing pastilla, couscous, harira and other dishes in this hands-on class that begins with a trip to the souks, or local marketplace, for fresh ingredients. It’s a complete Fez cooking and eating experience.

Everyone loves Mario. He hosts the popular Food Network shows “Ciao America,” “Molto Mario” and appears on the “Iron Chef America” for exciting culinary battles with other top chefs. In his Columbo style rumpled shorts and rolled up sleeves, this burly red-headed Italian chef with saffron stained fingers quickly grows on you. His high paced, informative shows peak a desire to taste these amazing dishes he prepares. If you want to try his excellent culinary fare without trying to cook it yourself, it is available in restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada and Los Angeles, California, and in New York. New York locals and visitors recommend you try these highly favored (or highly flavored) Mario Batali New York Restaurants.

Babbo Ristorante

Mario’s original Babbo Ristorante, located in Greenwich Village, is one place you do not want to miss while in New York. Reserve one month in advance, if you know when you will be in town, and walk-ins are welcome, but expect to wait. The menu changes nightly, and it is far from ordinary Italian gourmet food, exquisitely prepared and presented. The Italian wine list is around 20 pages, with reasonably priced wines by the quartino. The ambiance is beautiful, busy, yet romantic for two, and the waitstaff and sommeliers are attentive and eager to make your experience memorable. To suggest what to eat seems silly, because everything is wonderful, but if you are in the mood for hand made pasta, try the Chianti stained pappardelle with wild boar ragu, or black spaghetti with sea urchin. After a possible four courses, leave room for desserts. The wonderful maple and mascarpone cheesecake will end the evening perfectly.

Babbo Ristorante
110 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10011
(212) 777-0303
babbonyc.com

Lupa

For a taste of late night Roman styled trattoria, Lupa is the place to dine. The staff is friendly, casual dress is fine and it is open from noon to midnight. This is a great after-theater place to unwind and try some delicious food. Its excellent waitstaff, seasonal menu and extensive wine list makes Lupa a perfect place to bring a date. Try their piatto del giorno (plate of the day) for a treat, or go all out and select from antipasti such as prosciutto di parma or try an antipasti sampler for $25. For a first course, try linguine and clams with fennel and sopressatta, and if there is room for seconds, try the fluke with spinach and fried shallots. The formaggi, or cheese sampler is a great way to finish the evening with a nice wine, or end with a dessert wine from its varied selection. Be prepared to spend at least $30 to $50 per person for food.

If you are planning a private party, Lupa has two fixed-price dinner menus to select from and can accommodate between seven and 30 people. Call Marcella for daytime private party options as well.

Lupa
170 Thompson St.
New York, NY 10012
(212) 982-5089
luparestaurant.com

Esca

If you love seafood, get ready for an amazing dining experience at Esca, for the tastes of southern Italy. Located in the theater district of Times Square, this always fresh, always sophisticated, extremely delicious gourmet restaurant delivers satisfaction in every way. As you might expect, the menu is driven by the fresh fish market of the day, and rest assured whatever is available will excite the palate. Try the Branzino per Due, a whole Mediterranean sea-bass for two cooked in sea salt, or experience the crudo (raw) menu. Try the crudo tasting for six unique samplings of raw seafood for just $30. For a walk on the wild side try a handmade pasta dish of spaghetti that you are certain to find original with chilies, mint and a 1-pound lobster.

For a truly exquisite feast of flavors dive into their tasting menu and expect to sample gourmet dishes for over two hours for just $75 per person or $120 with wine pairings. Esca is business casual open for lunch until 2:30 pm, and dinner begins at five o’clock.

Esca
402 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036-6322
(212) 564-7272
esca-nyc.com

Casa Mono

Casa Mono is a Mario Batali Spanish taverna with a wine list of more than 600 varietals to choose from and several sherries. Reserve a month in advance or walk in and enjoy a meal at the dining counter. Enjoy tapas-style dining here along with traditional entrees and appetizers. The menu changes often, keeping locals on their toes in a quaint, small and casual atmosphere. It is open from noon to midnight and you can expect to pay between $9 and $20 per plate.

Casa Mono
52 Irving Place
New York, NY 10003
(212) 253-2773
casamononyc.com

Bar Jamon

This is Mario’s smaller version of Casa Mono, located just adjacent from each other. Bar Jamon is more of a bar atmosphere and a little less expensive Spanish tapas. This is a wonderfully casual spot to come and enjoy some trendy dishes. Local foodies love frequenting here, and the wine list is great to enjoy with their Spanish hams, cheeses and small plates.

Bar Jamon
52 Irving Place
New York, NY 10003
(212) 253-2773
barjamonnyc.com

Del Posto

This is another high-class Batali restaurant with a menu featuring Italy’s regional variations. They call the Italian American cooking style “cucina classica,” or classic Italian, producing legitimate traditional Italian gourmet cuisine. Dress is formal, suit jacket preferred, and expect to pay $50 and up per person. Start with lobster salad fra diavola with broccoli rabe and dried orange, and finish with Dover sole with chestnuts, watercress, black truffles and trumpets. This is another restaurant accepting reservations one-month in advance, and walk-ins or same-day reservations are available in the Enoteca (wine cellar). Private rooms are available for groups of 12 to 250 people.

Del Posto
85 Tenth Ave.
New York, NY 10011
(212) 497-8090
delposto.com

OTTO Enoteca Pizzeria

OTTO offers affordable pizza and pasta meals and is kid friendly with a warm atmosphere in Greenwich Village. Find OTTO on 8th Street in the One, Fifth Avenue building. It has a unique olive oil gelato, which is well worth trying, and an all-Italian wine list with more than 700 bottles from which to choose and enjoy with your meal.

OTTO Enoteca Pizzeria
1 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10003-4312
(212) 995-9559
ottopizzeria.com

The Spotted Pig

The Spotted Pig serves seasonal British and Italian cuisine with local fresh ingredients, and it is open until 2 a.m. every day. Street parking is usually available, and a parking lot is located across Greenwich Street. Walk-ins are welcome, but call ahead to find out the approximate wait time. The menu is affordable and interesting. Try the Roquefort burger with shoestring fries and your choice of vegetable with a beer, or enjoy a bottle of wine from the varied list. This is a nice pub atmosphere with some true fatty British pub food to match.

The Spotted Pig
314 West 11th St.
at Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 620-0393
thespottedpig.com

If you want to move to Ireland, you could use to understand, or at least to know about two things in particular: customs and superstitions. When they greet someone, the Irish use general phrases such as “Hello” or “how are you?”. Not few will be the situations when you will hear people saying “Dia dhuit”, which means “May the Lord be With You”. When you’re talking to someone look him in the eyes because this will earn his trust. If you’re invited into an Irish home, make sure that you appear on time. The Irish are proud about their sense of humor and they are always teasing their friends, so, if you’re teased, do not take it too seriously.

Regarding the habits of the business world, it’s good to shake hands with all who attend a session, both in the beginning and in the end of it. Many business people have business cards, so if you give someone your cars and you will not get another one back, don’t feel offended. In general, business is made in usual places, such as restaurants and pubs. Similarly, the custom is to participate to discussions, because it is assumed that all need to be involved. Irish business culture is known to be much more relaxed than in many other places in Europe.

Many of us are familiar with such clichés as “luck of the Irish”, “bucket of gold” or “four leaf clover”, but not many of us know the practical information to move to Ireland. Here are some interesting examples: throwing coins on the side of a ship brings the storm and the water that washes the feet should never be thrown during the night. During a storm, make sure you’ve covered or flipped all the mirrors in the house. When someone buy a car, you should give him money.

Using knee braces for hiking reduces the strain on your lower legs and makes the walk easier. Anyone who has ever felt pain after going for a hike should consider investing in the best knee braces for their specific need. There are a few different types of knee braces that are the best for hiking.

Jumper’s Knee Braces

Braces for jumper’s knee takes the form of a cap that fits over your knee and offer support behind the leg. Jumper’s knee is a condition caused by strain on the tendon in the knee, which worsens when more pressure is placed on the knee during a hike. These braces typically look like a cloth strap that stays closed by an attached Velcro piece. The advantage is that the braces come in different sizes for the perfect fit. Additionally you can use the knee brace with a leg warmer or pair of flannel pants in the winter months when the pain worsens.

Rough Terrain Braces

This type of knee brace works if you plan on hiking in rough areas or in harsh terrain, but also in areas where the terrain changes. Some hikers also prefer using them in situations where they’re afraid of losing their balance or falling. These braces look like knee caps and are made to mimic the look of the lower leg for a better and more comfortable fit. The braces are extremely lightweight, but contain an outer covering that protects the skin in case of a fall. You can easily slide one of these braces inside your backpack in case you need it later. These braces are typically worn underneath shorts, but are often too tight for wearing on top of clothes.

Dual Action Knee Braces

Dual action knee braces are the ones used most often by hikers and available from a wide variety of shops, including mass merchandise stores like Wal-Mart and sporting goods stores. These look similar to an elastic bandage, with the brace fitting over the upper part and lower part of the knee, while the knee is open. The braces are best if you’re currently suffering from an injury or if you’ve had an injury in the recent past. The braces work when worn underneath the clothes or above the clothes. The braces are available from a variety of different retailers, including the Ace bandage company, which makes them in different sizes and for both men and women.