Alley public, although other commentators feel that the lack of alleys is a benefit to the quality of life of the city. Two notable alleys in the Greenwich Village neighborhood in Manhattan are MacDougal Alley and Washington Mews. The latter is a blind alley or "cul-de-sac". Greenwich Village also has a number of private alleys that lead to back houses, which can only be accessed by residents, including Grove Court, Patchin Place and Milligan Place, blind alleys. Patchin Place is notable for the writers who lived there. Shubert Alley is a long pedestrian alley at the heart of the Broadway theater
Skin in the game (phrase) the phrase, pointing to earlier instances. Another possible explanation is that the phrase draws its origins from William Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice", in which the antagonist Shylock stipulates that the protagonist Antonio must promise a pound of his own flesh as collateral, to be exacted by Shylock in the event that Antonio's friend Bassanio defaults on the loan to which Antonio is guarantor. The term is used to ask or convey an owner(s) or principals undefined but significant equity stake in an investment vehicle where outside investors are solicited to invest. The theory is that principal's equity contribution