Aside from the simple pleasures of traveling and visiting old friends, I was keen on visiting some of the more extreme “Deliverance type” areas in America’s redneck South. Mr. Downing had tried to prepare me for the type of environment we were headed into, but words simply cannot prepare one for the experience. One of … Continue reading
Largest recorded losses due to activities of a “rogue” trader ranked in order of loss size: 1. Jerome Kerviel Size of Loss: $7.1 billion Employer: Societe Generale Source of Loss: European index futures Year: 2008 2. Brian Hunter Size of Loss: $6.5 billion Employer: Amaranth Advisors Source of Loss: Gas futures Year: 2006 3. John … Continue reading
Finding myself in the unusual circumstance of having an idle day, I decided to take a trek down the only trail in Malakoff Diggins State Park that I had not yet completed – Humbug Trail. Humbug Trail follows Humbug Creek for 2.5 miles down to the South Yuba River and the South Yuba Trail. Site … Continue reading
The extremely interesting Buddhist stupa at Samangan is known locally as Takht-i-Rustam (Rustam’s Throne). Rustam, the hero of Firdausi’s great epic the Shahnama (Book of Kings), written in Ghazni c. 1010 A.D., married the beauteous daughter of the King of Samangan, Tahmina. He celebrated the event, so says local legend, by drinking wine from the … Continue reading
Mr. Downing and I were driving back to Atlanta at the conclusion of Day 3 on our adventure and exploration phase when we saw black smoke billowing up in the distance. Frankly, it was difficult to imagine our day encompassing another element of excitement given what we had already experienced, but hope springs eternal. Mr. … Continue reading
“Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt.” – Benjamin Franklin Continue reading
Following my exploration of South Florida, I headed to the north again and after spending another night with newlyweds Gary and Sienna, I headed up Interstate 75 to visit Mr. Downing in Atlanta… Just over the Florida border into Georgia, I realized I was hungry and low on gasoline… I was driving through a rural … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 