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Fear, Outrage and Finance

Fear, Outrage and Finance

These days every single one of us appears to have an issue with which we feel outrage. The thing about this emotion is that it's often rooted in fear and ignorance and is usually contagious. What I mean by that is you read or hear somewhere how someone you respect...

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Long Jump, Bankers and Culture

Long Jump, Bankers and Culture

Many years ago, in my penultimate year of high school, I had a friend, Roger*, who at his first attempt became the best in the school at Long Jump. He was 16 at the time. He jumped a record 7.85 metres at the school during trials and 7.25 metres in competition. He...

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The Future

The Future

Just imagine you’re a waiter in a restaurant. You’re paid $25 per hour and rack up a forty hour week. Tips are split between all staff. Now imagine if your boss informed you last night that by July next year you would be receiving a 19% pay cut. You spring into...

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Summer, Tennis, Culture and Jerks

Summer, Tennis, Culture and Jerks

This has been a typical summer for my family. None of us are at work or school. Each year my brother escapes the Swiss winter for a few weeks and spends most of the summer with us. He’s sometimes accompanied by his wife or one of his daughters. The days are spent at...

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The Future

More

This article is about three couples that I've come across over the years. Only one are clients. Two wanted more (whatever that is) and one didn't. As you will see, more is not always better. Jenny & David David and his spouse, Jenny, are in their mid-late forties....

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Rover, Process, Fear and Loathing 

Rover, Process, Fear and Loathing 

When I was nine, my best friend in the world was a kid in my class named Stewart McNaughton. After school and on weekends I would visit Stewart’s house, which was located across the road from Willoughby Park. Our routine consisted of joining a third friend, Stewart’s dog, Rover. The three of us would go across to the park and spend most of the day there. At that time Rover was a 10 month old Labrador.

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Mechanics, Alfas and Trusted Accountants

Mechanics, Alfas and Trusted Accountants

Jack*, a friend of mine, owns a vintage Alfa Romeo – for those who are interested it’s a 1965 Giulia Sprint GT. Arguably, Alfas of that vintage are the most unreliable car marque this side of Creation. Jack treats that car better than his kids – and if you’ve met his kids you’ll understand why. It has its own tiled garage with a car hoist.  It only gets driven very briefly twice a year. His kids share a bedroom. There’s blood splatter on the floor from 2006 (I assume/hope from a nosebleed) and food scraps from which the cockroaches have fashioned Scandinavian furniture.

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