<p>Driving on the Silverado Trail in Napa County. Forgot how beautiful it is here. </p>
<p>Napa, the city, was hit pretty hard in the real estate crisis. I am going to have to find the real estate magazines. I like to check out the real estate mags even though I never pull the trigger.</p>
<p>Is the price still depressed?</p>
<p>Prices are up dramatically. 25 percent or so year over year.</p>
<p>I dont know about Napa but many places in the bay area are at all time highs. I am pretty sure the lower priced homes in Napa are not at all time highs.</p>
<p><a href=“http://bareis.com/sites/bareis.com/files/nap-2-mon-0513.pdf[/url]”>http://bareis.com/sites/bareis.com/files/nap-2-mon-0513.pdf</a></p>
<p>Good time to pick up a vineyard:</p>
<p>[2802</a> 2840 Monticello Road, Napa CA - Trulia](<a href=“http://www.trulia.com/property/3116955593-2802-2840-Monticello-Rd-Napa-CA-94558#photo-2]2802”>http://www.trulia.com/property/3116955593-2802-2840-Monticello-Rd-Napa-CA-94558#photo-2)</p>
<p>Must be really tough being a VP at Tiffany’s:</p>
<p>“An axed Tiffany’s exec had given herself a $1.3 million golden parachute - jewelry that she’d been poaching from the world-famous store, prosecutors said Tuesday. Ingrid Lederhaas-Okun, 46, started swiping jewelry from the Tiffany & Co. flagship store on Fifth Avenue soon after she was promoted to vice-president in January of 2011, the feds said.”</p>
<p>Read more: [Former</a> Tiffany exec stole $1.3 million in jewelry from company’s Fifth Avenue store: feds - NY Daily News](<a href=“Former Tiffany exec stole $1.3 million in jewelry from company's Fifth Avenue store: feds ”>Former Tiffany exec stole $1.3 million in jewelry from company's Fifth Avenue store: feds )</p>
<p>Notrichenough, we dont want a bidding war. You can buy the place. :)</p>
<p>When I travel up here, a small part of me thinks about buying a cheaper place. :)</p>
<p>But it really doesnt make sense. </p>
<p>My oldest daughter is with us and she likes it up here and would love us to buy a place up here, but she says Sonoma wines are a better deal.</p>
<p>Since I dont drink, I dont have a clue.</p>
<p>I am in Calistoga. </p>
<p>I am staying in a place where my grandmother used to stay. Brings back great memories. </p>
<p>I also just visited a place where my family stayed when I was a kid. It was $6 a night then. </p>
<p>The Smoke Shop is still here on Lincoln. A little piece of me will die if that place closes. I used to walk over early in the morning and buy a newspaper from that Smoke Shop. I was as young as 8 years old. I dont think 8 years olds are doing that anymore.</p>
<p>Here is a cheaper place than notrichenough’s.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.fhallen.com/property-detail/47471/3375-Browns-Valley-Rd,Napa,CA,94558[/url]”>http://www.fhallen.com/property-detail/47471/3375-Browns-Valley-Rd,Napa,CA,94558</a></p>
<p>[Don?t</a> Be Fooled; Sell Gold at $1,400, Then It?s All Downhill, Says Ritholtz | Daily Ticker - Yahoo! Finance](<a href=“Don’t Be Fooled; Sell Gold at $1,400, Then It’s All Downhill, Says Ritholtz”>Don’t Be Fooled; Sell Gold at $1,400, Then It’s All Downhill, Says Ritholtz)</p>
<p>^^^I think Tyler Durden posted a rebuttal yesterday c/o Tenebrarum. Hope you have fun DocT–snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef and hanging out at Frodo Baggin’s house.</p>
<p>Here’s a college-related news:
[Apple</a> hit by patent suit from Boston University | Apple - CNET News](<a href=“http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57592148-37/apple-hit-by-patent-suit-from-boston-university/]Apple”>CNET: Product reviews, advice, how-tos and the latest news)</p>
<p>How do you short this bank?
</p>
<p>
[A</a> Money-Smuggling Scandal Threatens to Sink the Vatican Bank - Businessweek](<a href=“Businessweek - Bloomberg”>Businessweek - Bloomberg)</p>
<p>Seems like you might bring down the wrath of God upon you if you short the Vatican bank.</p>
<p>Nah, Pope Francis is on my side. </p>
<p>“St. Paul did not have a bank account” - Pope Francis</p>
<p>Yeah, but is God on your side?</p>
<p>“I’m a sinner. I’m a saint…” I hope so. I pray my rosary everyweek. :o</p>
<p>I’d do that if it would help my portfolio. And if I had a rosary.</p>
<p>Busdriver, I thought you had an investment bucket yielding 20%++ c/o a good friend?</p>
<p>Actually, his rate of return is 17.9% for the last 16+ years, but we gave him less than 20K. Unfortunately, most of our money is in employer sponsored retirement funds, managed by…yes, you guessed it, us. If I’d had his rate of return on that I’d be retired by now. I don’t think the big guy is watching over my portfolio. Maybe some praying would help, but I don’t believe it works for agnostics.</p>
<p>“When you play more and more matches and gain more experience you understand how to turn matches around & change momentum.” -Murray after winning against Verdasco.</p>
<p>A winning trader can also use the same line.</p>
<p>“When you execute more and more trades and gain more experience you understand how to turn trades around & change momentum.”</p>
<p>[Expected</a> Rotation Out of Bonds Rattles Hedge Funds](<a href=“Expected Rotation Out of Bonds Rattles Hedge Funds”>Expected Rotation Out of Bonds Rattles Hedge Funds)</p>
<p>Sitting at Kennedy airport, I found out who Frodon Baggins is - not doing with that!</p>
<p>“Frodo Baggins” ?</p>