I read an interview with Virgin's Richard Branson in Men's Journal the other day. As I read it, aside from being really impressed with the guy's personality, I began to think of a couple of other rags-to-riches type guys, the Donald and P. Diddy. (In the case of the first two guys, I think they actually went riches-to-rags-to-riches.) What makes these guys so successful, anyway. In the case of the Donald and Branson, they're super intelligent. All three are very hard workers.

So far, no big deal.

But I've been thinking that there are two more characteristics that join all three:

1) All bet heavy/are risk-loving. Think about how nuts it was when Trump was building the Taj Mahal, or Branson bet that Phil Collins would ever be anything.

2) All made their money in luxuries---resorts, entertainment, airlines.

So that leaves me wondering: what luxuries are available for a hard-working, above average intelligence guy like me to cash in on, if I make a portfolio of big bets? Seems like it's too late for me to learn the music or hotel business.

And that's why I'm going to be a rum runner. I love rum. Sarcasmo will probably join me, once she associates it with pirates. And even during economic depressions, PeteMartin, people buy their alcohol.

I'm only partly joking. I wonder if I can make a fortune becoming an alcohol importer...