Raters of the Private Assets

Raters of the Private Assets

Did you know that George Lucas originally wanted Tom Selleck to play Indiana Jones? However, contractual obligations to Selleck’s moustache and, of course, his role as Magnum P.I. got in the way and landed Harrison Ford as the iconic Professor Jones instead. This...
Please, Release Me, Let Me Go

Please, Release Me, Let Me Go

My crinkly brain has been stuck on this song Please, Release Me (1949) made popular by Engelbert Humperdinck in 1967 (look up Izzard’s skit about workshopping that artist name). It gets weirder because the earworm was brought to me by an owl, specifically Blue Owl...
Trypophobia

Trypophobia

I am always in awe of the vast specificity of the English language, so imagine my delight to find out that there is a word for the fear of bubbles: trypophobia. While the word most commonly refers to the fear of actual bubbles, such as soap, gum, or boba, I will take...
Feeling Less at Home

Feeling Less at Home

This week marks a year since the devastating fires in Los Angeles. A year is a long time for those in Altadena and Pacific Palisades who were displaced and still do not have a home to return to. Between physical clean-up, financial resolution, and the accompanying...
Return-Tinted Glasses

Return-Tinted Glasses

There is a global push for retail investors to be able to put their money into private assets, which cover investing in or lending money to (funds of) private companies or big infrastructure projects. The lure is, of course, the potential for higher and smoother...