Roda Polo
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Western Art I love
When competing for Miss Columbia, Tatiana Casto was asked if a museum were on fire would you save the art or the guard dog? She replied, “The paintings are art. Art is to be given away, like love and peace. Animals, plants, and people are life. Life is to be kept.”
Rarities in France
Paris is known for shopping. Some of my favorite places are Mettez, and others. But, Brooke Chilvers wrote, "In France, I am forever seeking out the remaining bits and pieces of authenticity that offer a window into its past. That combination of old stones and pleasing landscapes, with good tables serving local fare. An interesting church. Monuments to a lost generation of men worth contemplating. Splendid trees or wisteria, lilacs, old oaks, or whatever. Fields with happy cows and good-looking horses. And now, at my age, good bedding." Here are some rarities of authenticity from our adventures in France. Antique tortoise scales custom made on a Swiss Army knife, complete with cigar cutter. Reining Lesson with Ferenck in rural France at his father's dude ranch Here is Frenck in action at a reining competition. A Comprehensive Paris Shopping Guide If you're planning a trip to the fashion capital of the world, Paris, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the best places to shop. Beyond the famed fashion districts and architecturally stunning galleries, Paris offers a diverse shopping experience, including food, antiques, and more. Let's delve into the topics this guide will cover: **1. Prime Shopping Streets in Paris** - Paris, often regarded as the birthplace of shopping, boasts a rich history of illuminating its streets at night, setting the stage for romantic evening strolls. - Window displays were popularized in Paris, and the city has a vibrant shopping culture. Champs-Élysées is the iconic shopping street, home to luxury brands and mainstream stores. - Avenue Montaigne offers a luxurious shopping experience amid stunning architecture. - Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is a haven for high-end fashion and renowned brands, featuring art galleries and
Warren Buffett and Mark Cuban Investment Strategies
The guru does not focus on the short term Warren Buffett's 90/10 strategy involves allocating 90% of assets to a low-cost S&P 500 index fund and 10% to short-term government bonds. The 90/10 rule offers simplicity, lower fees, and the potential for higher returns. The strategy is based on historical returns for the S&P 500, as well as Buffett's skepticism about the performance of the average fund manager. Ben Alaimo From: https://www.gurufocus.com/news/1865637/warren-buffett-on-predicting-the-stock-market-and-his-strategy Summary Warren Buffett is the leader of Berkshire Hathaway, the world's largest investing conglomerate. In a 1996 lecture at the University of North Carolina, he discussed predicting the stock market, business brands and his investment strategy. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, Financial)(BRK.B, Financial) leader Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) is considered one of the greatest investors of all time and, arguably, one of the wisest men in history. He loves giving lectures to students as he believes they listen and benefit the most from his talks. But it is clear that no matter what your age, we can all still learn from the Oracle of Omaha. I have summarized some main takeaways from a lecture he gave at the University of North Carolina in 1996 and expanded with my own comments. This is the first installment of a two-part series that focuses on stock market predictions and Buffett’s simple strategy. Predicting stock market movements Buffett admitted to not being able to predict the stock market in the short term or based on economic factors such as interest rates. Rather, he aims to buy businesses that would do well even if the stock market was closed. He does not focus on the daily stock movements and believes the market is there to serve you. In the past, Buffett has used the
Advice from an Old Man
Advice from Gene: Gene-isms get one gun and learn how to shoot it buy the convertible now because it’s the only time you’ll ever want it in your life fast cash makes fast friends here’s three gold coins and I’m saving the fourth one in case you hurt my daughter then I get your head a the bag I don’t care what we eat, whatever makes a turd Buy the best, only cry once. Look, you can always buy the newest thing, but I have had this jacket for 40 years and it’s served me well. Advice from Another Old Man: Water. I drink 2.5 liters of filtered water daily. No plastic bottled water. In the morning, my first glass is 16 oz with beet powder mixed in. Walk about 10–15k steps a day. Do throughout the day. I start with getting around 3–4000 steps in the morning after I rise. Exercise regularly (3 days a week for 40 minutes). I start each morning before my walk doing the following to warm up:3 rounds of 20 squats,100 pushup (40, 30, 30), and100 sit ups 40, 30, 30 in between the pushups above. Paleo diet. All organic. Some folks don’t get the whole organic thing but I believe that the pesticides in non organic food are probably not a good thing for our health. Eating Paleo eliminates foods that cause inflammation which leads to excess weight and a weakened immune system. [We like the Whole 30 diet as well.] Meditate daily. [TM is great.] Don’t watch the news. It’s all bad and adds to stress. [We still like newspapers.] Take vitamin D every day. Protect your eyes at night by dimming or
When Did Oil Changes Get So Expensive
Oil is now over $30 for 5 gallons of full synthetic and a full synthetic oil change is now $130 at Jiffy Lube and other places. I prefer local places, such as Castle Rock Imports or Berkenkotter Garage, or Les Schwab. Or do it yourself, see bottom of the page. For diesel or Porsche type vehicles, it is well over $170 per oil change as of 2025. Conventional Oil: Many customers still prefer the lower cost and familiarity of conventional motor oil, particularly if their vehicle isn’t subject to severe driving conditions, such as dirty/dusty roads, lots of short trips, driving in extreme heat or cold, and towing heavy loads. High Mileage Oil: Specially designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles. Helps keep engines that have been around the block a few times running better, longer by reducing oil burn-off, oil leaks and gradual loss of compression. Synthetic Blend Oil: A mixture of synthetic and conventional oils that serves as a midpoint between the two: better protection and performance than conventional oil can provide, especially in severe driving conditions, but not as good as a full synthetic oil. Synthetic Oil (AKA “Full Synthetic Motor Oil”): Specially formulated motor oil made for the highest levels of protection and performance for ultimate peace of mind. More and more vehicle manufacturers today require it. See if yours is one of them. Included in the Jiffy Lube Signature Service® Oil Change: Change:Oil with up to five quarts of quality motor oilOil filter Inspect Key Components:Antifreeze/coolant reservoir levelsEngine air filtration systemSerpentine beltsBrake fluid level (in transparent reservoirs)Wiper bladesExterior lightsChassis (lubricate when applicable) Check and Fill:Tire pressuresTransmission/transaxle fluidDifferential/transfer case fluidPower steering fluidWindshield washer fluidBattery water (excluding sealed batteries) Clean:Exterior windows Do it yourself? This makes
The Full Catastrophe
“Are you married?” asks Basil Alexis Zorba in the movie “Zorba, the Greek”. "Am I not a man? And is not a man stupid? I'm a man, so I'm married. Wife, children, house - everything. The full catastrophe." But once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain---when you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. Once you realized everything changes, there is nothing to hold on to. https://youtu.be/bPsVM2N7hUo When you fully trust someone without any doubt, you finally get one of two results: A person for life or A lesson for life. Are you in a relationship, or are you in an entanglement? A relationship is one in which both people are free to be themselves, yet there is no shortage of intimacy. No fear that doing what you love or being who you are or taking time for yourself will drive the other person away. In a relationship, neither person needs the other to “complete” them. Both people are awake to themselves, their feelings and thoughts, and are open to the flow of love and attention with one another. It’s about two equals celebrating together rather than “needing” something from the other. In short, a relationship like this is one where both people are in harmony. And that’s exactly what it feels like: in tune, relaxed, and just plain fun. Entanglements, on the other hand, look and feel very different. Signs You’re In An Entanglement Entanglements may look like a relationship on the surface. You might spend a lot
Doing Laundry and Washing Whites
Many people are curious about our close father–daughter relationship. Some have even said it seems more like a sibling dynamic. That isn’t quite accurate, but it gives a sense of what it’s like when you help shape your child into a kind of shared reflection of yourself—close friends who genuinely enjoy each other’s company and the everyday activities we do together. That includes everything from field sports like polo to ordinary chores, including laundry. Advice for my daughter doing laundry in college Doing laundry in college can feel like a challenge at first, but it’s generally easier than it seems. Anyone can learn to do it well. The key is to read labels, sort carefully, and take your time. For detergents, I like Tide for whites along with about 1/4 cup of Clorox bleach. I use Free & Clear for everything else. For stains, OxiClean tends to work better than Spray & Wash for pre-treatment on grass and other marks. Preparation Preparing to wash clothes often takes more time than the washing itself, but it’s a simple process once you learn it. Start by reading clothing labels, especially on anything valuable or delicate. Fancy dresses, button-down shirts, or specialty fabrics often need dry cleaning. Always check tags carefully (usually inside the neck, waist, or side seam) to avoid damage. Anything requiring a specific temperature or special care should be separated from the rest. Next, sort new clothes separately. Freshly purchased items tend to bleed dye, whether they are dark colors like black and navy or bright colors like white and green. Wash new clothes on their own the first time to avoid staining other items. Then separate by color: Darks: blacks, blues, browns, denim
Western Saddles
We almost never ride western, preferring polo, foxhunting or show jumping (English) saddles for various disciplines and for cross country terrain. However, there are times when a western saddle is more suitable or secure for training young horses. And certainly, if you going to rope, rein, cut or do ranch work, you can't do that in an English saddle. But let's face it, Western saddles are not generally very comfortable for more than just short rides, but with the help of our friends, we discovered that not all western saddles are alike, in fact there are more options than you can shake a stick at, which makes western saddles confusing to many if not all English riders or other newcomers to the Western seat. Here are the differences. This is the story of our search for the perfect western saddles for our purposes, which are probably radically different than most Western riders, but we are mostly looking for a saddle that rides English but looks Western. Martin Saddlery definitely makes some of the best western saddles and South Texas Tack is one of the best places to get them. First, you have to decide what type of saddle, as described by saddleupcolorado.net the abbreviated list is as follows: 1. All Around Saddles All-around saddles live up to their name. They are one of the most versatile saddles out there and can be used in just about every discipline. They are designed for anything! You can use an all-around saddle for ranching, roping, barrel racing, trail riding, and more. These saddles have a strong and stout horn so you are able to rope out of them or even drag cows with it. It is also equipped
Smarty Jones and Shesasmartypants
American Pharoah’s beautiful photo on the cover of Sports Illustrated marked only the third time a horse has graced the front of that magazine in the last 50 years. Smarty Jones got the cover in 2004 and Mine That Bird got it in 2009 after the Kentucky Derby. Smarty Jones (February 28, 2001) is a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and came second in the Belmont Stakes. He captured hearts around America. Smarty Jones was America's most loved horse in recent memory. He was one of only three horses to ever grace the cover of Sports Illustrated in the last 50 years and probably the most memorable, because people loved his humble beginnings and his name. We are excited to have Smarty Jones's daughter in our polo string, Shesasmartypants, and she is off to a great start in that career, just like her father was in racing. https://youtu.be/4wIfGJKXNtU https://horsenetwork.com/2015/11/legend-smarty-jonesutm_sourcefb-racingutm_mediumsocialutm_campaignsmarty-jones/ Smarty Jones and Shesasmartypants, his filly Now comes the time for just putting on mileage, which is what makes a polo pony. Here is the Argentine way of making polo ponies... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx9RoXvCcio