On The Fly

The 2018 Golf season has officially begun, Tiger Woods is back in the field! I know the 2017/2018 professional tour schedule technically began in October with the Safeway Open. But talk to any Golf aficionado and you will quickly see the “Tiger” effect on professional golf at Torrey Pines in San Diego.  Google queries for Tiger Woods, specifically “Did Tiger make the Cut,” (at the Farmers Insurance Open) is in the top 10 trending searches on Google. The Golf Channel, golf promoters, golf courses, driving ranges, golf merchandise sales, and television ratings are way up. Attendance this weekend (Jan. 27 & 28th) at Torrey Pines will soar. Try it, do a Google search for Tiger Woods and see what turns up. Profits.  Yesterday, after months of procrastination, I got off my duff and made the trip to the Carlsbad Golf Center to have a new grip installed on my TaylorMade three wood. While shopping I eves dropped on the conversations in the golf shop. And yes...

Can you name one person that during your lifetime changed the course of your life in an extraordinary way? Is it a parent, a teacher, a historical figure, or maybe a serendipitous acquaintance? For me one person stands out among all others -  Richard T. Liddicoat . Monday, March 2, 2020 marked Mr. Liddicoat’s 102nd birthday. Mr. Liddicoat passed away in 2002 but his memory lives in me. In 1985, as a resident student at The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), in Santa Monica, CA, I was invited by Richard T. Liddicoat Jr. (then Chairman of the Board) to his office. As a student of human nature, lover of gems and lifetime GIA advocate he would visit every Resident Colored Stone/Gem Identification classroom just before each class was to graduate. Many times, he would bring samples of unique gem materials that had been submitted to the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory for the students to see. Or he would simply stop by a classroom to discuss industry trends, the latest developmen...