I don’t know much about Reeves Wiedeman other than he’s a contributing editor at New York magazine and has the perfect name for a New York butler. But having inhaled his Wall Street Journal bestseller Billion Dollar Loser, it’s clear ol’ Reeves doesn’t suffer fools gladly and there is no shortage of dullards throughout the book. The only way his…
Author: Chris Bond
Oink Oink Oink Oink Oink
Borrowing one of the funnier lines from Hamilton, everything is legal in New Jersey. As a one-time resident of New York’s armpit – for 37 mid-90’s months (but who’s counting?) I dwelled not far off Turnpike Exit 16W – I feel it’s my right to goof on the land of livin’ off one’s hair. You see, roundabout 150 years ago…
The Romantic Drift as Path to Success
A “rounder” can be an unsavory character – a hobo, bum, wastrel – but also a romantic drifter. So writes Bill Nowlin in Vinyl Ventures, his self-described idiosyncratic memoir capturing his half-century at Rounder Records, from its founding through acquisition and beyond. The term also describes those who make the rounds preacher-like and over the book’s nearly 300 pages we…
No One’s an Island
Since finishing You’re Invited a couple weeks ago, I’ve been seeing its core concepts on display everywhere. Give of yourself generously. Be remarkable and novel. Curate interest with others. Writes Jon Levy, “The fundamental element that defines the quality of our lives is the people we surround ourselves with, and the conversations we have with them.” A behavioral scientist, Levy…
Specializing is Overrated
For many years, I have goofed on my brother-in-law for his sports-betting hobby (habit? addiction? Hmmm). My argument is that beat reporters, columnists, and ex-players, i.e. those with direct access to locker rooms and insider info, are often at best breakeven predictors of game outcomes when picking against the spread. If they’re at .500 +/-, surely some schmo who lives…