On Con Men
Recently, I made a visit to the Cato Institute, and I bumped into a guy who indicated he was interested in investing with me. We exchanged cards, and around 10 days later he called me, telling me about his scheme for...
Read MoreAuthor: David Merkel
Redacted Version of the March 2011 FOMC Statement
January 2011 March 2011 Comments Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in December confirms that the economic recovery is continuing, though at a rate that has been insufficient to bring about a...
Read MoreIndustry Ranks March 2011
I’m working on my quarterly reshaping — where I choose new companies to enter my portfolio. The first part of this is industry analysis. My main industry model is illustrated in the graphic. Green...
Read MoreOn the Reinsurers
Insurance is a part of my life. I’ve spent more than half of my life working with insurers in one way or another, and when unusual events happen, my phone rings, or I get e-mails, with people seeking insight. ...
Read MoreBook Review: Value: The Four Cornerstones of Corporate Finance
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Given the nature of the authors, for McKinsey & Company, I was predisposed to dislike it. But I liked it. What is the value of a corporation? It is the value of the...
Read MoreWhy it is Difficult to Improve Matters with Defined Benefit Plans
A few notes before I begin for the evening. First, I have two piles of books sitting next to me — one pile of mediocre books, and one pile of lousy books. Should I review them, at...
Read MoreAbandon All Hope All Ye Who Enter Here
A few notes before I start. This last month was probably my sickest month in 30 years. I’m on the upswing, but not up to 100%. Makes me grateful for how healthy I have been most of my life, and also how...
Read MoreA Messy World
I ordinarily think of the world as messy, but it is unusual when the world validates my opinions. Civil war in Libya? Whouda thunk it? But that is why prior preparation is valuable. Not that I have a anti-mess...
Read MoreFour Years at the Aleph Blog!
My but the time passes rapidly. When I was invited to write at RealMoney, because of compliance issues, it was several months before I wrote there. And i wrote there for about four years, never thinking that I might...
Read MoreBook Review: Eat People
You are either going to love this book or hate it. Why? The author’s style is in-your-face, something that I don’t prefer. I agree with him intellectually, but I develop it differently. ...
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TraderPlanet’s Quick Guide to Candlesticks
