Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[peejaytwo]

Please tell me that's not Ali now.

[tikay]

Please tell me that's not Ali now.

Sadly, yes, it is.

I don't know how old you are, but for those of my age, Ali was such an iconic figure, & we adored him for how he helped change so many things in so many ways. Pretty tidy boxer, too. I'm not a boxing expert, but he was far & away the best boxer I ever saw. I only ever watched boxing because of him, in fact. 

Now, in all honesty, I sort of wish he would pass away, quietly, in his sleep. Maybe he is not suffering, but for a man of such verbal eloquence, being "trapped" by Alzheimers must be a living nightmare. Perhaps he no longer "understands", I don't really know how these things work.

A terribly sad photograph.

[tikay]

There was a reception at Windsor Castle yesterday for the Irish President, in the "Great Banquting Hall" which, some years ago, was destroyed by fire.

What an incredible sight this is.


They had a 3 course meal - fish, then meat, then ice cream.

[tikay]

Another incredible sight.

This is in Haringey, in North London.

[tikay]

The Peaches Geldof thing is terribly sad, she had so much to live for, & was so young. The Geldofs have seen a fair bit of tragedy, one way & another.

I hope it's not indelicate to raise the matter at this moment, but I was intrigued by the "given names" of the young Geldof's.

Peaches was officially.....

Peaches Honeyblossom

Her sisters are.....

Little Pixie

Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence

Fifi Trixibelle

Her daughters are.....

Astala Dylan Willow

Phaedra Bloom Forever

[AlunB]

The Peaches Geldof thing is terribly sad, she had so much to live for, & was so young. The Geldofs have seen a fair bit of tragedy, one way & another.

I hope it's not indelicate to raise the matter at this moment, but I was intrigued by the "given names" of the young Geldof's.

Peaches was officially.....

Peaches Honeyblossom

Her sisters are.....

Little Pixie

Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence

Fifi Trixibelle

Her daughters are.....

Astala Dylan Willow

Phaedra Bloom Forever

Dylan? Really? That's such a common name nowadays.

Although my fav thing about Dylan is all the english people who don't realise it's pronounced Dullan.

[tikay]

The Peaches Geldof thing is terribly sad, she had so much to live for, & was so young. The Geldofs have seen a fair bit of tragedy, one way & another.

I hope it's not indelicate to raise the matter at this moment, but I was intrigued by the "given names" of the young Geldof's.

Peaches was officially.....

Peaches Honeyblossom

Her sisters are.....

Little Pixie

Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence

Fifi Trixibelle

Her daughters are.....

Astala Dylan Willow

Phaedra Bloom Forever

Dylan? Really? That's such a common name nowadays.

Although my fav thing about Dylan is all the english people who don't realise it's pronounced Dullan.

I only know, as a close friend I mean, one "Dylan, & he's certainly a dull 'un. Bit like a tub of lard really.

[tikay]

Tikay, in a related but not too similar vein to Buffet's letters, have you ever read Bill Gates' yearly letters?

Obv Gates and Buffet linked closely in that they both want to give their entire fortune away before they die and some of Bill's letters are wonderfully instructive pieces.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/Resources-and-Media/Annual-Letters-List/Annual-Letter-2013

You can select other years in te drop down.

Damn you, I wish you'd not Posted that. I want to write some other stuff - poker, & (my) real life, would you believe? - but now you've set me off again on a subject I much enjoy.

First up, yes, I read Mr Gates Annual Letters. Like those from Warren, you can't fail to learn from them, its an educational freeroll, full of little pearls of wisdom.

As you note, Warren & Bill (& Melinda, who is Mrs Bill) work together in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Essentially, they are giving away all their wealth - every last penny.

Warren donates around 500,000 Bekshire Hathaway shares to the Foundation every year. The shares currently trade at $180,000. Each......

The two of them go back a long way, originally as friends & partners as Bridge players. Warren is a very competent Bridge player, I'd guess sort of "County standard".

The friendship blossomed, & now, Bill Gates is on the Board of Berkshire Hathaway, though Warren has no formal role @ Misrosoft. Much of their relationship is explored in the book "Snowball".

It's a bit odd really, as Warren never invests in "dotcom" Companies, (though he owns 6% of IBM, but they are hardly "dotcom"), in fact he was roundly mocked for being staid & overly conservative during the dotcom boom, so a tad ironic he rubs along so well with Bill, who IS Mr Dotcom really.

Odd aside.

Microsoft employ over 100,000 staff iin any number of high-tech buildings across the globe. 

Berkshire Hathaway employ exactly 30 staff, all of whom are housed in a humdrum building in Downtown Omaha.

Lots of ways to skin a cat.

[tikay]

The mullhuzz Post about Bill Gates made me think about the businessmen who impress me most.

Bill Gates would be very near the top of the list, & yes, I know he has his army of haters, but he's changed the world, or helped to, more & better than most. Soon, the whole world will have equal access to more educational stuff than anyone dared dream of just a decade or two ago. It's a stunning change.

Off the top of my head, for different reasons, & in no particular order, these are the names that spring to mind in my "Best Businessmen" thing. Some of them - not all - really have helped change the world for the better. Others are just wow-good.




John Kirkland

Warren Buffett

Bill Gates

Michael O'Leary

Larry Page & Sergey Brin

Terry Leahy

James Dyson

Isai Scheinberg

Bernie Ecclestone

Mike Ashley.

I reserve the right to change the list as often as takes my fancy, & to include Mike Ashley especially for Mondy, Plinop & mully.

[tikay]

Unlikeliest Newspaper Headline of the Day. (Today's Times). 


Sandbanks millionaires in fight against blow-up dolls

[AlunB]

The mullhuzz Post about Bill Gates made me think about the businessmen who impress me most.

Bill Gates would be very near the top of the list, & yes, I know he has his army of haters, but he's changed the world, or helped to, more & better than most. Soon, the whole world will have equal access to more educational stuff than anyone dared dream of just a decade or two ago. It's a stunning change.

Off the top of my head, for different reasons, & in no particular order, these are the names that spring to mind in my "Best Businessmen" thing. Some of them - not all - really have helped change the world for the better. Others are just wow-good.




John Kirkland

Warren Buffett

Bill Gates

Michael O'Leary

Larry Page & Sergey Brin

Terry Leahy

James Dyson

Isai Scheinberg

Bernie Ecclestone

Mike Ashley.

I reserve the right to change the list as often as takes my fancy, & to include Mike Ashley especially for Mondy, Plinop & mully.

Are you talking about Gates with relation to Microsoft or Gates with relation to his philanthropy?

[tikay]

The mullhuzz Post about Bill Gates made me think about the businessmen who impress me most.

Bill Gates would be very near the top of the list, & yes, I know he has his army of haters, but he's changed the world, or helped to, more & better than most. Soon, the whole world will have equal access to more educational stuff than anyone dared dream of just a decade or two ago. It's a stunning change.

Off the top of my head, for different reasons, & in no particular order, these are the names that spring to mind in my "Best Businessmen" thing. Some of them - not all - really have helped change the world for the better. Others are just wow-good.




John Kirkland

Warren Buffett

Bill Gates

Michael O'Leary

Larry Page & Sergey Brin

Terry Leahy

James Dyson

Isai Scheinberg

Bernie Ecclestone

Mike Ashley.

I reserve the right to change the list as often as takes my fancy, & to include Mike Ashley especially for Mondy, Plinop & mully.

Are you talking about Gates with relation to Microsoft or Gates with relation to his philanthropy?

Both I suppose, but first & foremost, Microsoft.

Incidentally, as to the philanthropic, I'm sure you & Tal-Bloke will be impressed by a word last night I saw to describe the Buffett/Gates philanthropy......


philanthrocapitalism

[RED-DOG]

Never respect men merely for their riches, but rather for their philanthropy.

We do not value the sun for its height, but for its use.

Gamaliel Bailey

[redarmi]

The mullhuzz Post about Bill Gates made me think about the businessmen who impress me most.

Bill Gates would be very near the top of the list, & yes, I know he has his army of haters, but he's changed the world, or helped to, more & better than most. Soon, the whole world will have equal access to more educational stuff than anyone dared dream of just a decade or two ago. It's a stunning change.

Off the top of my head, for different reasons, & in no particular order, these are the names that spring to mind in my "Best Businessmen" thing. Some of them - not all - really have helped change the world for the better. Others are just wow-good.




John Kirkland

Warren Buffett

Bill Gates

Michael O'Leary

Larry Page & Sergey Brin

Terry Leahy

James Dyson

Isai Scheinberg

Bernie Ecclestone

Mike Ashley.

I reserve the right to change the list as often as takes my fancy, & to include Mike Ashley especially for Mondy, Plinop & mully.

One business person that I just cannot help but admire is Denise Coates of Bet365.    I cannot get a bet with them for my life (which is an achievement on her part I guess) but it is just an incredible achievement to have started with nothing effectively in 2000 and built it into one of the world largest gambling brands and made herself and her family billionaires in the process.  I am told by friend that worked there at the beginning that she routinely was in the office at 6am and still there past midnight.  In an industry that is full of people that like to belittle others skills and acheivements I have never heard anyone that doesn't consider her to be absolutely top rate.

[Tal]

LOVE THAT!