Attention Economy


Thursday, November 24, 2016

Interesting Items - 11/24/16

Money in American Politics
An interesting piece by Jane Mayer:


Investors Need to Reevaluate their Choice of Asset Managers
Noah Smith notes:
“If you’re not good at something, the smart thing to do is go find a professional. If you're sick and don't know what you have, you go to a doctor. If the wiring in your house has a short circuit, you call an electrician. But does this approach work in investing?
Probably not. Doctors and electricians have to prove their skill and training to get certified. Money managers don’t. For almost two decades now, the average hedge fund has delivered a lackluster return.  Actively managed mutual funds generally fail to beat the market after fees, either in a given year or over time. Although most fund managers do have skill, and could generally beat the market trading on their own, the fees they charge more than cancel out their investing edge.”

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For an optimistic note on the status of the world, check out
A World to Be Thankful For by Charles Kenny
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/11/thanksgiving-global/508646/