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A Portrait of Ben
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates as expected today. The stock market fell. Wall Street wanted more than a quarter percentage point cut. Those in the real estate biz were no doubt breathing a sigh of relief that rates were at least headed in their direction. How are Fed chief Ben Bernanke's moves playing out on Main Street? This weekend I remembered a painting of Bernanke I?d seen hanging at an open house around the corner from where I live in Los Angeles. I popped into the development again on Sunday to take a picture of the painting. But the unit I?d seen it in was closed. The painting (that?s it above) had been moved to a townhouse in the back. Amir Haber, one of the developers, told me two of the four townhouses (asking price $1.2 million) had sold. I asked him if Bernanke?s reassuring presence had anything to do with it. ?It wasn?t the painting,? Haber said, slipping into sales mode. ?Have you seen the master bedroom?? I noted the artist?s name, John Roberston, and contacted him http://www.StreetCredibleArt.com Roberston emailed me back and said ?I painted Bernanke because there are a few businessmen that are like a celebrity ? yet not colorful. I thought by painting him in that colorful manner added something to his persona.? Coincidently, Robertson said his own home, a trailer overlooking the ocean, is for sale http://www.artistwriterretreat.blogspot.com. Maybe that Bernanke magic will work for him as well.