Too good to be true

By now, most of you have heard of Bernie Madoff - the big-time con man from New York. He was never an investor or fund manager - he was and is a thief. He's the guy who played a gigantic Ponzi scheme game against hundreds of investors - many of whom should have known better. It's like they say - greed and charm will get you every time. When it's too good to be true - it's too good to be true. Now is a little too late to be wanting to be safe. The building to the left is the lipstick building in New York, where Bernie had his offices. Impressive, no? That's why I always say, invest conservatively. Buy lots of stock now, but do it wisely. Where Madoff is concerned, there are no high hemlines - sorry.

Allegra Q.

Allegra Q. is one of the El Paso Symphony’s most versatile violinists. In addition to playing violin, she also plays viola in the orchestra (though not at the same time) and is ready to switch on a moment’s notice. She prefers first to second violin because it’s more challenging. She gets to play second violin in the UACJ Symphony and that’s more than enough. She is one of the brave musicians who ventures to Juarez about once a month to play concerts there, in order to enrich the cultural life of that city. That, believe me, takes the nerves of a bullfighter. Her violin studies commenced with her mom and dad (both of them viola players!!!) at age one and by the time she was eight, she had appeared as guest soloist with the Las Cruces Symphony. This season, she will make her debut with the El Paso Opera, though not as a singer (or dancer). Yes, she could sing professionally if she wanted – take my word – but her gig with the Opera Company is with the Orchestra (and with its magnificent and distinguished conductor, Raymond Harvey). That will mark one more rung up the musical ranks for her. Allegra already plays in the Las Cruces Symphony's first violin section so that makes her one of the busiest fiddlers in town. She is a sophomore in college, so maybe by the time she’s a senior, she might be concertmaster? Who really knows? Her favorite classical violinist? Joshua Bell. Her big secret??? She knows every song on iTunes and she can dance better than Britney Spears. Her idol??? She isn’t telling.