Basketball Obsession

My first novel Basketball Obsession is free today and tomorrow on Kindle.

https://www.amazon.com/Basketball-Obsession-Ken-Horlor-ebook/dp/B00VIEZ51G/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Automobile Innovation

Here's an idea I've had concerning electric cars. This has probably been thought of before, but my version goes like this: the problem with electric cars is range. Fine for around town stuff, but between cities the electric cars run out of juice.

What about cars that run on roads with an electrical supply reticulated into the road itself. Steam trains used to have water towers for refuelling, then a trough came along placed beside the track, a scoop picks up the water and the train never has to stop. Well, how about zones on highways where there is a live rail and the car lowers a wand to charge the batteries as the car drives along. Solar and wind could be added as a source of power as well as the surface also generating power from the wheels rolling across the surface.

Then what about nuclear cars. I currently have a car sitting in the garage with a full fuel tank. If invented today the set-up would probably be illegal. So what about a safe steam car, the heat coming from an on-board reactor. Within the useful life of the car it would never need refuelling. Think like a watch on the wrist glowing in the dark. As safe as that watch would be the design brief.

Garbine Muguruza

Watching Wimbledon, I admire the mental toughness of Gabine Muguruza. When down or things are not working out she has the capacity to self-correct and get back on track. She did this against both Angelique Kerber and Svetlana Kuznetsova. She is clearly playing to a game plan and it's good she keeps to that plan.

[Phew, she won Wimbledon, I'm back to predicting well after my failure in picking the Cavs to win the NBA Playoffs]

All Blacks 15 Lions 15

I've said it before and this is a timely moment to repeat myself; I predict that in the not too distant future, the All Blacks will be banned for being too good. How it happens will be through the referees blowing the whistle every time an All Blacks player touches the ball. And then a new competition will evolve which excludes the world's top Rugby team altogether.

With the drawn match between the All Blacks and Lions at Eden Park I think we can see the beginning of the trend. Near the end of this game we saw the referee consult and change his mind in making an obvious political decision in not allowing an All Blacks series victory. The referee, Frenchman Romain Poite, to put it bluntly, was 100% right to award the penalty near the end for an offside by the Lions, then 100% wrong to change his mind.

Watch this space as more of this will continue. For decades the northern hemisphere have changed the rules annually in an attempt to nullify All Blacks dominance. The result has seen the All Blacks get ever better. Now a new approach will emerge and that will be to blow the whistle and in so doing, blow the All Blacks off the park.

Make East Cape Monaco

Here's an idea for developing East Cape in the North Island of New Zealand; turn it into another Monaco.

Monaco is a principality on the Mediterranean and alongside France. It has no natural resources to speak of and occupies about 2 square kilometres. Despite this it is one of the richest countries on earth, if not the richest. What makes it so is zero taxation. It's a magnet to those wishing to minimise the amount of tax they pay.

France tolerates this but does not allow its own citizens to participate. If you're French and living in Monaco, you still pay tax at the rate that applies in France.

This is my idea - create East Cape as some form of self governing autonomous region, with no personal or company taxation. But this does not extend to New Zealanders or Australians.

As I understand it, to be a permanent resident in Monaco requires some hoops to be jumped through. There is a minimum amount of time you need to be in residence each year and it takes upwards of 12 years to gain permanent permanent status. Up to then any resident is subject to annual or three-yearly checks.

For East Cape I'm talking about all that area from Ruatoria to Hicks Bay. Turn it into Monaco.

Greenbrier Companies Inc (NYSE: GBX)

My latest stock pick is railcar and marine manufacturer Greenbrier Companies Inc., based in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Check them out here: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GBX?p=GBX

I make no secret if my liking for solid industrials like these. But one thing to note is many pundits are picking them to collapse. I don't see that happening and expect them to do well.

[Update @ 20/11/2019: now solidly in the buy range for bargain hunters ]