The"God" particle

Physicists around the world have something to celebrate this Christmas. Two groups of them, using the particle accelerator in Switzerland, have announced that they are tantalizingly close to bagging the biggest prize in physics (and a possible Nobel): the elusive Higgs particle, which the media have dubbed the "God particle." Perhaps next year, physicists will pop open the champagne bottles and proclaim they have found this particle.

Finding this missing Higgs particle, or boson, is big business. The European machine searching for it, the Large Hadron Collider, has cost many billions so far and is so huge it straddles the French-Swiss border, near Geneva. At 17 miles in circumference, the colossal structure is the largest machine of science ever built and consists of a gigantic ring in which two beams of protons are sent in opposite directions using powerful magnetic fields.

The collider's purpose is to recreate, on a tiny scale, the instant of genesis. It accelerates protons to 99.999999% the speed of light. When the two beams collide, they release a titanic energy of 14 trillion electron volts and a shower of subatomic particles shooting out in all directions. Huge detectors, the size of large apartment buildings, are needed to record the image of this particle spray.

Then supercomputers analyze these subatomic tracks by, in effect, running the video tape backwards. By reassembling the motion of this spray of particles as it emerges from a single point, computers can determine if various exotic subatomic particles were momentarily produced at the instant of the collision.

A Christmas adventure

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma..

I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her. On the way, my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me.

"No Santa Claus?" she snorted..."Ridiculous! Don't you believe it! That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!!

Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where Grandma", I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun.

"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.

As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days.

"Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself.

The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for..

I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class.

Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat.

I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy
one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.

"Yes ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it..

Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back
to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.

Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes.

That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous.. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...

And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!

Give back - what you can, where you can, whenever you can.

Freedom

Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.

Mahatma Gandhi

John, Paul, George and of course Ringo

I remember the Beatles as nothing short of transformative. I remember hearing them for the first time as kind of a throw away on the Rick Shaw show.

Then of course there was Ed Sullivan's three shows, they filmed one in Miami, my home town.

We were so hip!

I still think the Beatles were a fantastic Rock and Roll Band, Rubber Soul and Revolver are two of my favorite albums of all time.

Fame and fortune seem to be flames many, maybe all of us, seem to be drawn to. For those who have really gotten close to the flame, the heat ... it seems to consume almost everyone.

I haven't read You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup yet but is going on my reading list today. I have attached a wonderful review http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/04/a-hard-day-s-night.print.html

I guess reading it is akin to watching a car crash ... I can't look away.

The Beatles changed my life forever.

I recently had the opportunity to have dinner with some musicians who have achieved a wee bit of success (3 Grammy's). They were talking about a contemporary of theirs who had achieved hyper stardom. They referred to it as "they took the blue pill and went down the rabbit hole, we didn't". That said there lives are different than the average guy and always will be because they have touched the flame.

One of the things I have enjoyed about Face book is that some of the people I lived those times through with are back in my life and for that I feel that I have been truly blessed.

If you haven't listened to Revolver or Rubber Soul in a while do your self a favor on this fabulous Sunday and turn them on, they'll return the favor. JD

Goodbye Coach

One of histories greatest sportsman and philosophers died today at age 99.

the great John Wooden is a legend. His success as the coach of the UCLA basketball program has never been equaled.

His example of how to live your life is more important.

I'm a wrestling fanatic and have always disliked basketball, we had to compete for space, time, recognition and funding with them.

That said, I have always admired and respected John Wooden. He has inspired generations and as the earth will be less with him gone, heaven will have one more great angel today.

Here are some words from the Coach that I have always loved;

"Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books -- especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day."

advice from Coach John Wooden

The Emperor wears no clothes!

Author and blogger Virginia Postrel, in an interview in the June issue of Reason magazine:

"Glamour is a particular form of illusion. It's an illusion that tells a truth about the audience's desires, and it requires mystery and distance. During the campaign people projected onto Barack Obama whatever they wanted in a president or even in a country. Lying is usually a bad thing, but they would project onto him that he was lying about his positions because he secretly agreed with them: 'Anyone that smart has got to be a free trader at heart. He's just saying this to pander to those idiots. He can't really mean it.' . . . There is always this capacity for disillusionment. People have projected so much of what they think, including things that are sort of impossible, onto a glamorous figure, that when any flaw shows up the glamour is dispelled and suddenly he becomes terrible."

Just Breath

Do these seem like crazy times to you?

Maybe it's just that we are so connected, what happens on the other side of the world is instant news to us.

What happens in New York is news in little old Gainesville, not in the time it took for news to be hand delivered but in the instant it happens.

I know that in the investment business it is probably the worst thing that could have happened. We have gone from investors to traders.

In my experience people don't get rich overnight.

The overnight success has been at it for 15 years. there is always the exception, the person who inherits a fortune or wins the lottery (maybe there the same thing?)

As a respected friend recently said to me, "If I were king I would only price stocks once a year and maybe even not that often".

The feedback is causing most of us more problems than it is solving.

Maybe it's time to take a step back and catch our breath.

Technology

Technology is advancing at such an amazing pace.

I'm driving through South Carolina right now, on my way to meet with my Study Group, The Hole in the Wall Gang.

So while Donna drives, I have been writing and answering emails. connected to the Internet so my laptop gives me all the options I need to be productive while driving 70 (well actually donna is driving so if you know her you know we are traveling a wee bit faster than that) mph on I-95.

Smart phones are giving people access to their email from anywhere as well as an opportunity to go right to the Web.

Donna and Rachel have an app for their Iphones called Knock.

Last week were walking thru Ring Park, the Nature Preserve with Hogtowne Creek running through it behind our home. Donna called Rachel, put it on the speaker phone and then using Knock she was able to connect via video to Rachel's phone and talk to her as well as let her see where we were going.

Not two way yet, just a matter of time and two way will be available.

So enjoy these wonderful options, make them tool for your productivity, don't become slaves to them.

If you happen to go out with out a phone or not have your laptop with you it might just be a nice break.

Time

Where did the time go! Every day seems to fly by, hours are minutes, weeks are days and last month seemed like yesterday!

Time doesn't seem to be slowing down.

I wonder how fast it can get?

Then again maybe I don't.

Maybe this is some perverse trick I am playing on myself and instead of stomping through the roses with cleats on, smelling the puree of rose in the air I really may want to, maybe I need to stop and smell the roses .... ahhh, I don't think so.

At least not today.

As Scarlet said in Gone With the Wind, " Tomorrow, I'll think about it tomorrow".

For today, it's full speed ahead!

Saving a million dollars!

A few years ago I was walking through an airport, I don't even remember where, and an attractive young woman started asking me to apply for a credit card. I told her no thank you but she insisted that it was a contest and she only needed a couple of more applications to win.

I had my identity stolen a few years ago so there is a block on my credit reports. I have to be contacted before they give out information which I explained. No problem she said. Well a few weeks later I got a new credit card from US Airways (Lehman Brothers) with a $25,000 credit limit.

I used it once to pay for some tuition for one of my sons when cash flow was tight. Had the best of intentions to get it paid off and then the bottom fell out of the financial system. The $25,000 credit limit fell to essentially what I had outstanding, approximately $5,000.

As a small business man the last 18-24 months have challenged us all. It's getting better every day but in an attempt to manage the cash flow during the crisis I was just paying the minimum and I was holding on to the cash.

I really wasn't paying attention because when Lehman Brothers fell they were acquired by the Barclay's Bank and my nice little 7.9% interest rate went to 30.9%!

I know, I know, I'm a CFP. I should have been paying attention.

Unfortunately I was focused on the 85,000,000 I oversee and I took my eyes off my own "shtuff".

Wow, long story to tell you that when I realized that the balance wasn't going down I checked the statement. Credit card statements now have the information on what it will take to pay off the balance in 3 years and how long it will take to pay it off at the minimum balance and how much you can save by paying it off in three years.

I'm not even going to ask you to guess, I do with clients when I tell this story. At the minimum payment it will take 1,761 years to pay off the balance of less than $5,000.

And the savings if I paid it off in three years ..... $1,055,630.

I think we'll write them a check this month. Then I can tell Donna I saved a million bucks!

A lesson to be learned here, pay attention to the credit cards, set yourself a goal if you have debt and pay it off.

Another Sunday and everything else

Sunday's are one of my favorite days. For Donna and I there is really only one deadline, Mass at 5:30.

It's a day when I really can wake up when I wake up and nothing else is going to end up being pushed back.

I'm not ready for that to be the rest of my life. I have a million things that I want to or need to do.

I hope the day I die I have a million things that I want to or need to do.

Donna and I took a walk through Ring Park this morning, it's a thirty acre linear park with the famous Hogtowne Creek flowing through it.

Its also our back yard.

It is a beautiful walk 30 minutes from one end to the other and back. Always full of people out enjoying the beauty of Gainesville.

Back for a healthy breakfast from Chef Me and then some time reading my email and one of the best Internet sites I peruse.

If you are not familiar with Realclearpoltics.com check it out. It is an aggregater, it culls articles of interest from both points of view on topics of interest ranging from the oil spill to the latest political news.

Now a few minutes to write and then for me a few hours at my office.

Hope you enjoy your Sunday and for my son John, Happy Birthday!

The Strategic Coach

I attend an entrepreneurial coaching program called the Strategic Coach.

Every 90 days I attend a one day workshop, mine are in Chicago. I have been in Coach for 10 years now and I am being modest to say that I have learned a lot.

I have to give the program credit for much of the success that I have enjoyed over the last 15 years (I dropped out of the program but returned after 3 years, a mistake I won't make again).

My coach is the creator of the program, Dan Sullivan. Dan has had some amazing insights that I value. In addition, the opportunity to set aside one day every quarter to review what we have accomplished and to make plans for the next 90 days is a huge value for me.

Even more important to me than the knowledge products and coaching has been the opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs. The network has been an incredible value.

I have have met some of the most amazing people and gotten the opportunity to see what they are doing. Many are the visionaries that really will change our lives in the future.

The program has also taught me how to do something other than work. Still trying to get better at his part but it is really about seeking progress not perfection.

If you are entrepreneurial or have any interest in getting help taking your business and more importantly life to another level check out the Strategic Coach program.

You can find them at strategiccoach.com.

The cool aid is tasty.

'Saturday Night Live' with Betty White attracts big ratings

'Saturday Night Live' with Betty White attracts big ratings

What a hoot! The NPR sketch about muffins will one of my all time favorite moments of SNL. As funny or funnier than Alex Baldwin and the "Shweaty balls" sketch with the same NPR theme.

I can remember when the show first started, it was a must see for my friends and I. What ever was going on Saturday nights often included getting in front of a TV set for Saturday Night Live. Then again my kids start getting ready to go out at 11:30, I was closing down or at least trying to convince someone that closing down with me was a good idea.

I'm sure there will be a replay and when there is try and catch her if you missed it.

If your technologically up to I think it is now available on the NBC site.

Enjoy and three cheers for Betty White!

Mothers Day 2010

I love my wife and appreciate all she has contributed to raising our children.

I miss my Mom today, she past away about 3 years ago. I think of her often, maybe daily. I was fortunate to be raised by her. I don't mean to diminish what my Dad contributed. I am who I am because of them.

Today though, I miss my Mom. I don't have regrets, I talked to her regularly and saw her as often as practical for folks living in different cities. I love you Mom.

I love you Donna.

And for all you Mothers out there. Happy Mothers Day and God Bless.

Uncle Sam

King or no King?

In my my goal to write 5 minutes a day I can sometimes sit there with nothing to write, then there are days like today that give me so much to say that the only thing stopping my writing is earning a living and the clock.

I have been thinking a lot about the Founding fathers lately. It seems that we are going through one of those defining moments in history.

Just what do we want the government to be?

Opinions can be different and nobody has to "wrong".

The fundamental question, to me, is how much power over our day to day life do I want to give the "government".

There is no question we need an organized government, a government organized from the the local to the state to the National level.

I'm not ready to cede our national governance to an International government.

So how much government do we want in our daily lives?

Some people argue that the most efficient capitalistic country to day is China, an autocratic capitalism model.

If we had a King and an autocratic government system we could be much more efficient. You want to change health care, done. What's next?

Sorry, I have more questions than answers on this issue. Maybe it's time to re-read the Federalist papers and see what James Madison had to say?

Ding!!!! There goes the clock, time to move another project. Have a great day. JD

The ISM Index

This is the most accurate indicator of an expanding or contracting economy. I have used it for several years and it has pointed us in the right direction even during the most difficult times.

If you are not familiar with it check it out.

APRIL 2010 MANUFACTURING INDEX SUMMARIES

---

PMI

Manufacturing continued to grow in April with the rate of growth accelerating as the PMI registered 60.4 percent, an increase of 0.8 percentage point when compared to March's reading of 59.6 percent. A reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally contracting.

A PMI in excess of 42 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall economy. Therefore, the PMI indicates growth for the 12th consecutive month in the overall economy, as well as expansion in the manufacturing sector for the ninth consecutive month. Ore stated, "The past relationship between the PMI and the overall economy indicates that the average PMI for January through April (58.7 percent) corresponds to a 5.6 percent increase in real gross domestic product (GDP). In addition, if the PMI for April is annualized, it corresponds to a 6.2 percent increase in real GDP annually."

THE LAST 12 MONTHS

Month	PMI		Month	PMI
Apr 2010	60.4		Oct 2009	55.2
Mar 2010	59.6		Sep 2009	52.4
Feb 2010	56.5		Aug 2009	52.8
Jan 2010	58.4		Jul 2009	49.1
Dec 2009	54.9		Jun 2009	45.3
Nov 2009	53.7		May 2009	43.2
Average for 12 months – 53.5 High – 60.4 Low – 43.2

A new look!

Donna carved out some time this weekend to make some changes to our blog.

Start with the new look, I hope it makes it more adventurous looking.

We are all on a Great Life Adventure and through this blog I hope Donna and I can share some of our adventures.

Donna also has a blog linked to Metaversal Research, her consulting company and I am trying to get the rules for a blog on FFM's website so I can comment more on the markets.

Meanwhile this adventure blog is part of my effort to write 5 minutes a day.

Check out the opportunity to follow our blog, sign up, pass it on and if you have something to add or comment on don't be bashful ... write us!

So for today let me leave you with a tip; listen to Rob Thomas' incredible song' Now comes the Night.

I hope you can find some one to love like that, I have and I'm grateful beyond words.

A great weekend

We enjoyed a great weekend this past weekend.

Donna walked across the stage of the O'Dome to receive her PhD in the morning and the evening followed with my sisters son, Ryan walking across the stage to receive his bachelors degree.

Family was here to celebrate and with the exception of a few micro bursts from the Storm on Friday ripping a few tree tops off, everything went smoothly.

I hope that everyone enjoyed their weekend.

I am currently trying to figure out to make this blog more accessible to friends and colleagues. I'm not sure what the rules are going to be if I add economic or market related info. My designation as a a Registered Investment Advisor and CFP mean that I fall under some interesting restrictions, what we call compliance.

So I apologize that this sometimes seems so bland.

There is a learning curve to blogging and building a Tribe. Soon I hope that I will have the kinks out and can really make this a useful tool for those who are friends and those interested in my thoughts on the economy and money.

Thanks for our patience. JD

Hugh MacLeod

I will experience Joy at least once a day. I don't care what it costs me.

This is a personal mantra of mine that I've had for many years. I try to live it at least once a day, even if it's just for a fleeting moment. If I can do that, then the day will not have been wasted.

You can do it if you decide to. It takes practice and yes, sometimes it cost you a lot of time and effort, but the older I get, the more grateful I am that I invested the time and energy teaching myself how to do it, even if sometimes it seemed silly and idealistic.

This is one of my favorite emails every day. His book Ignore Everybody is a must read. Check out his blog at www.gapingvoidgallery.com