[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MXiUzCl9As 450 300]
Today I spent much of my “holiday” (official, not actual) working on my bocce court in the blazing Southern sun. Let me say that it’s days like this that give one an appreciation for manual labour (sic), though no avocation for it, let me assure you.
Know first that this bocce court is actually a 2+ year old “birthday present” from my loving wife, who — in a moment of true inspiration — thought that a bocce court would recall for me both fond memories of New York and my then-recently departed father– who though an Irishman through and through, loved the game like no other. I was less enthusiastic, having a natural aversion to yard work of any kind, and this was looking more like “yard project” — a far more grim prospect.
The good woman persisted however. We have a relatively large backyard, and she figured it would fit nicely at the far end, back by the willow trees. As you might expect, this all ended up in the nightmarish category of “never ending project,” where I’ve played the roles of designer, architect, general contractor, and — most recently — landscape engineer.
Mr first problem was that there was a dearth of Italian carpenters in my locale. Well, “dearth” is a bit of a euphemism… actually, there were none. There’s a restaurant downtown that has a bocce court, but I think they imported the guys who built it — a middle of the night operation. What’s more, the materials called for in the on-line plans we’d procured called for oyster shells and other exotic ingredients not readily available at the local Home Depot. My loving bride would not be thwarted however, and she found a willing contractor who claimed he’d have no problem following our guidelines.
Never believe a contractor who says that kind of thing, okay? They always have a problem, somewhere. This one had all kinds of trouble grading my yard to a flat enough plane to lay out the 60′ court. Three times he had to come in with the backhoe. My two year old (at the time) loved it, at least. After that, everything was “special supervision” on a Weekend Warrior basis– for the love of all green currency and compound interest.
So we finally got the court laid out and the sand, gravel and finally red brick dust (my secret ingredient to replace the “oyster shells” the online plan called for. Note: I’ve never played bocce on oyster shells, that must be some kind of freaking West Florida bocce or something) placed within the 60 ‘x 10′ two by six pegged planks. I was the one who personally laid down the brick dust, after it was deposited by the dumptruck, btw. I would trust no one else with it. The old highball throwing Eyetals from Carroll Gardens would’ve been proud of my zen-like focus.
It was a beautiful thing up until the first major rains. This is when I noted that “the ease of drainage” promised in my plans was a pile of horse. The only thing that drained easily was my brickdust, down the side of the hill, out of a gaping hole carved by the rain on the lower slope of our planed lower yard.
So that’s been my Spring project this year – re-graveling and then shoring up my bocce court with various landscaping fascia, including, most recently, massive bricks of some unknown ground composite material. I finished the last of it today, much to my lumbars’ chagrin. My neighbors only chuckle knowingly at my Quixotic efforts and then go back to their more red-neckish pursuits of “corn-hole” (I do not jest) and deep fried turkey leg gnawing.
Tomorrow, however, we will have our annual Jakegint’s Dad Fourth of July Tournament, along with Son #2’s 12th birthday. God and my lower back willing, I will dazzle the locales with my ball curling prowess and it will be all worth it.
God bless America and the Eyetalians who braved the cold Atlantic and Ellis Island to bring us the perfect summer ale drinking sport. Salud, and a Happy Fourth to you all.
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Here are Wednesday and Thursday’s Jackson Port looks. Nothing especially egrgegious save MONster, which I may have to cut completely loose upon a break of $70. As you recall, I’ve a half position right now, and I think it’s so oversold right now, that no bounce here means extreme trouble, and therefore a recommended disposal. Gold looks like it’s holding up here, which, as I’ve mentioned, I believe means good things for silver as well. The non precious metals seem strongest of all. See my notes for further comment.
Name/ | % | % | |||||
Ticker | 30-Jun | 1-Jul | Change | 2-Jul | Change | Comments | |
ANDE | $ 29.94 | $ 31.34 | 4.68% | $ 30.89 | -1.44% | Still riding the 8-day EMA like a champ | |
EGO | 8.95 | 9.17 | 2.46% | 9.25 | 0.87% | Up, but on low volume. | |
GDX | 37.82 | 39.41 | 4.22% | 38.31 | -2.79% | Low volume, just below the 50 day EMA | |
GLD | 91.18 | 92.39 | 1.33% | 91.25 | -1.23% | Ditto, POG just under $930. | |
IAG | 10.12 | 10.65 | 5.24% | 10.34 | -2.91% | Bounced off 20 day EMA (10.06) | |
MON | 74.34 | 73.20 | -1.53% | 71.96 | -1.69% | Totally oversold, but sell <70 . | |
NRP | 21.01 | 20.97 | -0.19% | 20.77 | -0.95% | Ridicluously oversold, but sell < 20.50 | |
PAAS | 18.33 | 18.86 | 2.89% | 18.22 | -3.39% | Back in congestion zone. | |
RGLD | 41.69 | 42.43 | 1.78% | 41.52 | -2.14% | 200 day at $39.67 | |
SLV | 13.38 | 13.55 | 1.27% | 13.16 | -2.88% | Bot AGQ @ $39.20 yesterday | |
SLW | 8.24 | 8.55 | 3.76% | 8.40 | -1.75% | Closed right on the 200 day EMA | |
SSRI | 18.75 | 19.07 | 1.71% | 18.79 | -1.47% | Close below 200 day EMA | |
TBT | 50.92 | 51.06 | 0.27% | 50.73 | -0.65% | Still haven’t bot back yet… soon. | |
TC | 10.22 | 10.38 | 1.57% | 10.36 | -0.19% | Still strong, above 20 day EMA | |
TCK | 15.94 | 16.78 | 5.27% | 16.09 | -4.11% | Closed right on the 20 day EMA | |
TZA | 22.75 | 21.54 | -5.32% | 23.63 | 9.70% | Portfolio saver today, still 1/2 position | |
Cash (000) | $ 13.44 | $ 13.44 | 0.01% | $ 13.44 | 0.01% | Same | |
AVG (daily) | 1.73% | -1.00% | |||||
AVG (monthly) | 1.73% | 0.65% | |||||
AVG (inception) | 15.12% | 13.71% |
“Gold looks like it’s holding up here, which, as I’ve mentioned, I believe means good things for silver as well. The non precious metals seem strongest of all.”
Oh so very ‘agreed’.
I love it when you talk bocce balls. Your wife obviously thinks you have quite the pair of ’em, to start you on a project so clearly designed to keep you around the house on the weekends, congratz. A stiff upper lip should keep your back in line. Good luck on your tourney and keep ’em close to the Jack!
Bocce, they were queer for that game up in mn too. Lush grass, cool summers, copious alcohol.
Dumped the last of my spx, f@ck it. Easiest money I ever made.
We have the Palacio de Bocce nearby, which is a series of indoor courts complimented nicely with fully stocked bars and a rememberable selection of entrees. Best wishes and enjoy the long weekend.
Bocce … Does as much for me as blowin shit up on this fine day. Saluti
Cain — you are a Motor City boy? Good on ya for hanging in there. That Palacio sounds like a nice place… tell ’em they need a website next time you’re in there.
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I am embarrassed to admit, that some of my idiot in-laws are ‘corn-hole’ (and deep fried turkey leg) enthusiasts.
Nice job on the courts. My own landscaping follies resonate with your statement, “an appreciation for manual labour (sic), though no avocation for it, let me assure you”.
If you haven’t played bocce with some honest-to-God old Italian dudes you’re missing one of life’s finest ways to spend an afternoon.
Just don’t let them talk you into wagering while you’re playing…
Cuervo – no thanks, those guys are magical with the high toss. It’s a Roman thing.
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Something on Quant Easing and the British Gilts. Not promising, but then that’s what the Jacksonian Portfolio is here to address.
Like to hear J’s comments on this piece, if he’s listening in.
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http://www.palazzodibocce.com/
Looks like fun.
I have a buddy here who is NYC Italian. We get together and get all old school and play bocce, drink, smoke, beat our kids and cheat on our wives. You know, like our grandfathers did.
Seriously, your own bocce court? Bad ass. Especially for an Irishman.
Howie – – don’t ever be embarrassed by your culture. Corn hole has it’s place. I just don’t find it as intellectually satisfying as a good game of bocce.
Not to mention, bocce is better for “cocktails and conversation.”
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Rest in peace, Steve McNair. One of the good guys, down.
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wow!… awesome video… considering our country is on the precipice of collapse. good stuff
Jake
Where are you located ?
Roundup(tm) – 0
Green shoots – 0
Cash cows sometimes die. It’s a fact of life when patents expire. Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) will lose its blockbuster Lipitor in the coming years, and Monsanto (NYSE: MON) is facing the same situation with its herbicide, Roundup.
Sales of Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides fell 47% in its third fiscal quarter, from over $1.1 billion last year to just $614 million this year. Competition from Syngenta (NYSE: SYT), Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW), and Chinese generics forced Monsanto to lower the price of Roundup, now that it’s no longer patent protected. The company knew a drop in sales was coming, but didn’t expect such a quick deterioration…
http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2009/06/24/the-death-of-a-cash-cow.aspx
Ah, I see I slaughtered the name. Yes Palazzo di Bocce; the same one in Michigan. Although I probably would have kept some reservation if I knew it was the only one…
And really Jake, the metropolitan area is a wonderful place if you have money and can look past incessant beggars and calls for charity. Lots of night life activity, bars and pubs, casinos, many parks and works of art, several excellent local sports teams, (let us forget football, for a time…), and a remarkably diverse selection of authentic cuisine. The nearby cities are always worth a visit with their high end establishments and the downtown area is nearly always hosting some large event. I stopped by recently to observe the Red Bull air races (technically Canada hosted this year), there are many large music festivals, and when nothing else is going on, then yachting is the activity in high demand.
Only a thin radial strip surrounding downtown Detroit is to be avoided like the plague. If you get lost there you will know it immediately from the enormous, quadruple lot, Victorian style homes that have fallen into disrepair. You can almost literally see the blight on the properties.
If any of you are interested in real estate investment, you can pick these homes up for next to nothing. Good luck getting to them, however…
I am at Churchill for the last day of the Spring Meet, and in the seventh race I feel somehow compelled to bet large on “General Jake.”
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In an appropriately themed 4th of July weekend race, General Jake came in second to Shock and Storm to pay $56 for the exacta box. Do you need even ask if I had it? Shoot, my liberal father-in-law had it.
But he felt guilty about it.
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In the 9th race, I have the favorite- Tap-its-Fly.
No I do not joke. Results in a minute.
Warning- its a maiden race, anything can happen.
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The Fly wins again!
Well, almost
2nd place for “Tap-its-Fly” in the 9th.
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Bonus of the day- my eight year old daughter asked for, and promptly got Calvin Borel’s goggles from his last race of the meet. He had four pair on (muddy track today), so he gave his other three pairs to my daughter’s wide-eyed and too-abashed-to-speak cousins without even being asked. A real Louisiana Gentleman, this Kentucky Derby (and Preakness) winner.
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Thanks again to Scum for supplying “all the news you needed a month ago.”. When the Pony Express comes back in vogue you should establish a wire service.
For those of you who were investing in MON for its archaic Roundup product, please divest now.
For the rest of you who are invested in the value added GM seed lines watch this $70 line of death.
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Thanks again to Scum for supplying “all the news you needed a month ago.”. When the Pony Express comes back in vogue you should establish a wire service. ..
You’re welcome. I almost added a comment to that effect. :/
BTW, I think hybrid tomtaoes suck, and will never ever use them.
Since devildog isn’t here, may i just add:
NEW LOWS BY FRIDAY BITCHEZ!!
jakegint, congrats on the blog–i know you love the nascrack. it’s back, Nascrack.com, new and improved–thought you’d like to know
Just bot another 2k of SLW @ 7.82 — 7.74 is 38.2% retrace of November lows to June Highs.
($2.51 to 10.97 for those who want to do the math at home).
Also got another 2k RBY at 2.87.
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