Realignment
I spend a certain amount of time musing about nested problems — problems where there are a wide number of feedback loops, some amplifying, some dampening. The big wonder is watching the non-commodity developed markets run...
Read MoreAuthor: David Merkel
Post 1400 — About to Launch
Every 100 posts, I take a step back, and think about where we have been. My, I have been a busy bee. And I have blogged more than usual over the last three months. In the recent past, I have completed my “Flavors of Insurance”...
Read MoreA Portrait of Maryland’s Public Companies
I don’t always toot my horn, at least not in real time. Over the last four months, I won two awards. I received third place in the Society of Actuaries contest on risk control at the US Government for my piece, Who Dares...
Read More2010 Financial Report of the US Government
Since the mid-1980s, when a number of cranks argued that the balance sheet of the US needed to be laid bare, including off balance sheet items like Social Security and Medicare, there came a statutory requirement that there...
Read MoreBe Prepared! What if Things Go Right?
Before I start this evening, the Aleph Blog Lunch scheduled for 12/29 will start at Noon, not 1PM. -==–==–=-==-=–=-=-=-=-=-==–=-==–==-=- Though the US equity market seems short-term overbought, I want to poke at an area of the...
Read MoreAleph Blog Lunch 12/29/2010
I know this is late notice, but I wanted to try to have a lunch with local readers last year. This year, I will do it. The date is 12/29/2010, and the restaurant is The Mongolian Grill of Columbia. We will do it on 12/29 at...
Read MoreActive Share
I often have to deal with practical “small institution” problems, because of the church I belong to. Here are two of them: 1) The pastors have a defined contribution plan. There are two questions. Are the funds the best that...
Read MoreBook Review: What Investors Really Want
Meir Statman wants to tell us about the human condition. We make bad economic decisions regarding investments. That comes mostly from having multiple desires regarding investing that are inconsistent. What are our problems?...
Read MoreFlavors of Insurance, Part XII (Summary — The End)
The insurance industry is a diverse place, with many places to make and lose money. In order to remain on the winning side, I recommend four basic principles, which were mentioned above: 1. Stick with conservative...
Read MoreSpecial Birthdays for Nerds (like me)
I called my bank today to try to straighten out something. In the process, they asked my birthday for verification purposes. I said, “Twelve, Five, Sixty. My birthday is special. It multiplies.” After a longish pause, the...
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TraderPlanet’s Quick Guide to Candlesticks
