A Short Sabbatical

I spent Thanksgiving in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Watched the Mazatlan Venados lose to the Mexicali Aguilas, did some surfing, and caught up on my reading over a few Pacificos. While my travels were hassle-free, this blog aptly named stuckincustoms is a great site for photography buffs.

Had you been using a simple timing model(this chart is a 10-month SMA) on the Mexican ETF (EWW), you would have just exited after a long profitable bull run to what looks like a three-bagger.

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Merger arbitrage spreads are looking quite attractive. An investor wanting exposure could buy up the companies, or less risky, buy a mutual fund like ARBFX or MERFX.

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A long review of alternatives from Deutsche Bank.

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Global Tactical Asset Allocation looks like a great book, but $520?

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I wonder if the top value hedge funds have any sector picking ability? I am going to track, on a forward basis, the top three sectors rebalanced quarterly. Currently they are Services, Technology, and Financials. An investor could gain exposure to the sectors through ETFs:

Powershares Consumer Services – PRFS
SPDR Tech – XLK
SPDR Financials – XLF

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Want to listen to a lecture on your ipod?

And what are the most intellectually simulating podcasts, anyway?

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The Evolution of an Investor

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Hats off to Joe Cit (and Cheap Stocks) who correctly predicted a resolution to Atlantic Coast Entertainment Holdings trading below cash.

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What would you have for Your Last Supper? (50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals)