Gene Morphis ' View

English: George Hamilton receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on his 70th birthday on August 12, 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) At the height of the cigar boom , George Hamilton came out with a line of cigars.  As I recall, someone in his family had been in the tobacco business, and he is a cigar smoker.  I bought a box.  Candidly, they weren't very good. I don't hold him responsible; at the peak, finding good tobacco and skilled rollers was exceptionally difficult; even the oldest largest and best firms were having difficulty obtaining quality tobacco. I smoked a couple, then stuck them away in one of my humidors.  That was at least ten years ago (I've got to learn to label my boxes with purchase dates).  I came across them the other day and smoked one to see if aging made a difference.  It did.  While still a bit on the harsh side, it tasted pretty decent.  The wrapper is rough - like fine sandpaper.  It burned a little ...

I've been helping  - or rather attempting to help - Serality raise capital.  Full disclosure - I made an angel investment in Serality about two years ago.  As of this moment, I've contacted 143 venture investors. I want to thank fifteen of them.  Those fifteen have turned us down. Obviously I'm not thanking them for that.  But I understand it.  They have a business to run and they need to make a profit.  If our business plan is off-strategy for them, or we are too small or too early-stage or they simply think we've got a bad idea; all that is OK.  I appreciate the straightforward turndown.  Serality is aimed at helping real-world communities that support the over-50 population - which is surging with millions of aging baby boomers.  That has lead to some interesting comments from some firms even though they are decling to invest.  Comments such as: "this isn't appropriate for us, but I've recently been dealing with my aging pare...

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The more I study American history, the more I realize how little I really know. I just completed Doris Kearns Goodwin ’s Team of Rivals in which she explores the inter-workings, personalities and politics of the Lincoln administration.    Every American schoolboy or schoolgirl knows that Lincoln presided over the most difficult period in American history save the George Washington era.   Most know that he struggled with a series of second rate generals until Grant emerged. And that he was tragically assassinated just as the War Between the States ended. But how many of us know that many of the cabinet members opposed Lincoln in the primary?   That many of those thought he was unqualified for the office?   That one of them – Salmon Chase – actually tried to build support to oppose Lincoln in the 1864 election?   Or that Lincoln’s opponent in 1864 was former General Mc...

The market melt-up this summer has been good for me.  As a result, I had a little celebration this weekend with a glass of Sterling Merlot and a Sancho Panza.  That cigar was purchased about a dozen years ago in Dublin, where the rules on country of origin are different than here.... Very nice. I hope that the fall will be good for all of us.  Here's to the best to our country and you for the rest of 2012!