Currently Reading

Self-isolation is supposed to be a chance to read more. Trying my best but instead I seem to be watching more TV. Anyway - here's the books I'm currently reading:

Barbarians at the Gate - the true story of the LBO (leveraged buy-out) of RJR Nabisco. Interesting history and look back at the Wall Street of the late 1980's. Almost finished with this book. One problem I'm having is even though there's pictures of Ross Johnson, the CEO of RJR Nabisco, in my head I keep seeing James Garner who played Johnson in the HBO movie of the same title.

Never Split the Difference - very interesting look at negotiating from real world FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss. Some excellent tips and observations that can be used in the life of almost anyone. About half-way done with this book. I'm sure I will pick this up and re-read at least a second time. The advice and tips are that good!

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - just started this book and already I'm hooked. The tale of a pandemic known as the Georgia Flu that collapses civilization. I decided on this book over the choice of re-reading The Plague by Albert Camus. Funnily enough I bought this book after hearing it recommended by Anthony Jeselnik.

Life Lesson

From the book Barbarians at the Gate:

During the 1950's Lou Roberts often took his teenage son George [Roberts later to be one of the founders of the leverage buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts] along to business meetings. At an American Petroleum Institute conference one year, father and son sat by a dirt-caked wildcatter in cowboy boots while listening to a speech by the chairman of Humble Oil, the predecessor to Exxon. 

"Which one of those two men would you like to be?" Lou Roberts asked his son afterward.

"I'd rather be like the guy up on stage, the businessman," young George answered.

The businessman, his father explained, had 50,000 employees to watch over, a long, tiring workday, and could expect a pension of several hundred thousand dollars on retirement. The wildcatter, on the other hand, had maybe 30 employees, several dozen oil wells that pumped away while he slept, and was probably worth $5 million.

"Now who would you rather be?" Lou Roberts asked.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

In 2006 the Red Sox picked Kristopher Johnson with the 40th pick of the MLB draft. With the next pick the Yankees took Joba Chamberlain. Johnson is 3-9 with a 6.14 ERA for AAA Pawtucket... I'm a Nathan Fillion fan and I would pay money to see this movie. Nathan Fillion as the Green Lantern. Pretty impressive trailer. Too bad it was put together by a fan and isn't real... Scrabble Champ - Toronto's Marc Rzepczynski has a tough name to spell but in Scrabble it would be worth just 38 pts - the Braves Javier Vazquez's name is worth 43 points... A vastly underrated movie from the 90's was Barbarians at the Gate. You never see this movie anywhere and that's too bad. James Garner was great in this HBO flick... Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - going into yesterday's game, Vernon Wells of Toronto is hitting just .172 at home but a smoking .337 on the road.... I caught the pilot of Warehouse 13 and I must say I was impressed. This series has lots of potential and I'll be sure to tune in for future episodes. The casting is very good and you can't help but like Saul Rubinek as Artie Nielsen... The American League record for pitchers used in a season is 32. The Indians have now already used 26 and we're not even at the All-Star break... In case you haven't been following it or haven't heard - Mariners Single-A prospect James McOwen had his hitting streak end at 45 games last night...