We've all parked on grassy fields for outdoor events, but this grass was different.  In fact, it was more beautiful than the grass at Pebble Beach and we were only in the parking lot.  Moments later, I was whisked away in a high speed golf cart to the V.I.P. section where I briefly met Susan, a former executive of America's Most Wanted.  She returned with flashing lights as the shutters started what would be the beginning of a "flash" flood afternoon.  First it was a picture with the president of the polo club, then some political big-whigs.  The conversations and pictures continued with cigarette boat racers and thoroughbred owners, lawyers and business moguls.  "Von! Can I take a picture of you?"  Huh! Are they talking to me?

Perhaps, the most blinding moments were the pictures with Adolfo Cambiaso, the number one polo player in the world but he would have to take a back seat to the Stallone's.  You know the Stallone's as in Rambo and Rocky I-IV.  The entire time I spent with Frank, Sly's brother, and especially Kathleen Rhodes Stallone, Sly's step-mom was great.  I couldn't help thinking, "Man yall look like Rocky!"  I'm not sure who people thought I was or why they admitted goggling me two minutes after introductions, but I liked it.  Black, tall, decent personality, familiar look or whatever the reason, I hadn't been the subject of  that level of impromptu picture taking since Beijing and I felt officially, yet embarrassingly, like a rock star or as the article suggests, All Star.  It almost sounds like some made up story but actually it is all quite true.

That tantalizing introduction was a huge shocker and while it exudes All-Star status, it was not exactly the status I initially intended to portray.  The intent was to distribute a brief note of thanks to all who follow this newsletter.  Constant Contact has over 500,000 small business subscribers to date who market to customers in one form or another.  Of that, only a select few receive their coveted, annual "All Star" award.  For the second year in a row, The Fleetwood a.k.a News from The Investment Forum has made the cut and I just wanted to say thank you all sincerely.  Why the name Fleetwood?  It was the name of our double-wide mobile home manufacturer.  When I said from the mobile home to where moguls roam, surely you didn't think I was kidding.

I would like to think this subscription provides content that is useable enough to make you move or at least strongly consider moving towards making your life a little more financially sound.  The whole intent behind any forum has always been to bridge the gap between the have's and have not's with the have mores by removing the barriers of misunderstanding.  Further, we look at eliminating the horrible amounts of bad investment advice and replacing it with real life data from tangible, successful people with a light hearted twist.  At least that's the intent anyway.  The frequency is one message per month leaving people's inboxes alone for other important content.   I must take the opportunity to provide new readers an example of what I'm getting at. 

Not long ago, I was explaining Washington's Merriweather Post Pavilion.  In an attempt to provide further understanding of who she was, I figured what better way to illustrate than via my favorite topic, exotic real estate?  I explained that Marjorie Merriweather Post was the heiress of the Postum Cereal Company and once wife of banking sensation E.F. Hutton.  Hutton incidentally gave Washington Capital's owner Ted Leonisis, one million dollars and the genesis of his platinum titanium billionaire status.  Marjorie owned many properties, one of which was a posh estate named Mar-A-lago in Palm Beach, FL where other moguls like Rockefeller (Exxon-Mobile) and Carnegie (steel magnate) built mansions.  After she died, her extravagant mansion near The Breakers hotel owned by Henry Flager, Rockfeller's oil, rail and real estate tycoon partner, caught the eye of Apprentice Star and consummate real estate billionaire Donald Trump.  He turned it into an exclusive tennis club.   

I took a few less fortunate young men to Palm Beach as a way to illustrate wealth's far reaching tentacles and show them life's possibilities.  It was important that they understand lifestyles of sunshine and mansions fronting aqua blue water just beyond the golf-course-like lawns and Canary Island Date palms are real.  The floating, patented Double R's embedded in the center of the Phantom's wheels are real.  Most of Palm Beach's eight month a year settlers are very nice, hard working at-one-time people who received *God's favor*.  Now some have "stupid" money and take aspirin daily to help decide between the Bentley and the Maserati, this yacht or that one.  Most people will never earn salaries that will buy them a lifestyle like this but a few great investments can change your life.  The Investment Forum just wants to help cut through the voluminous mounds of bologna out there to keep people from making costly mistakes. 

So as we celebrate another year of victory amongst the paparazzi and Hollywood A-List, it is only fitting that we end by a line from Rocky IV.  I grew up in a pothole filled trailer park, but "If I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!"  Kathleen Rhodes Stallone, this award's for you and the coolness of all you do.  Meanwhile, I'm going to see my main man Mike Jenkins while the mud is still fresh on my boots so I can grind the polo dust a.k.a. horse droppings all over his brand new couch!  With 3/4ths cherry Kool-Aid, 1/4^th Coca Cola classic and three cubes of ice, I'm signing off as Maximillian Roxpiere with a toast to another year of great newsletters.  Towanna Freeman, you deserve credit because I didn't sign up until after I saw you do it and Thomas Harrelson, in regards to my polo reception, don't even think about saying, "I'm not surprised" because I certainly was!