Apparently, this is the first time since 1888 that Thanksgiving and Chanukah overlapped (I wasn't around, but my friends Steve Campisi and Herb Chain recalled the event; both are significantly older than I) , and it won't occur again for 70,000+ years (I doubt that...

So proud, I'm showing off; hope you don't mind.Our third grandchild and first granddaughter.Born to our son, Christopher, and his lovely wife, Monica.Specifics:Born 11/25/2013At 4:18 pm8lbs. 13oz21 inchesRenza in name = Monica's momElizabeth in name = Chris' mom; aka,...

I was in Australia (both Sydney and Melbourne) last week, (1) speaking at a conference, (2) conducting a conference workshop, and (3) teaching our two-day attribution class. It was a very hectic time, and I failed to do any posting, which is a bit unusual for...

It may seem like a stretch, but the very esoteric and complex mathematical area topology and performance attribution have something in common: mapping. Topologists map points from one surface to another, while PMPs (Performance Measurement Professionals) map weights...

I have had the opportunity to engage in conversation with several folks over the past month or so regarding the CFA Institute's "Principles for Investment Reporting." I remain generally opposed; actually, perhaps more so.For a document that promotes "transparency," it...

Yes, this IS a dilemma: do you invest the money into providing your performance and risk measurement team the training they need to do a good job, and run the risk they'll leave, or avoid teaching them and save the money?Fortunately, most firms see the wisdom in...

I have begun to read Mass Flourishing, by Edmund Phelps, a Nobel Laureate in Economics. He begins with the following: “Flourishing is the heart of prospering – engagement, meeting challenges, self-expression, and personal growth…A person’s flourishing comes from...

In this weekend's WSJ, Jason Zweig discusses how investors too often make poor contribution/withdrawal decisions (see "How Investors Leave Billions on the Table").He mentions how Pimco's Total Return fund had a 12-month return (as-of September 30) of -0.74%, that...

The words in this post's title appear in Nobel Laureate in Economics Leon Lederman's The God Particle. I can't say exactly why, but when I read it those words struck me.A stunning implication.I once read that good writers write one word at a time; I believe Lederman...

I've been wanting to use the line in today's heading, and stumbled upon a way (though it may be a stretch). I came up with it recently, and think it's clever (but I'm biased a bit). As a former politician, I am fully aware of the linkage between the art of lying and...