TheStreet: 5 Gifts Almost as Good as Cash -- And Way More Thoughtful

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It's that holiday time again, when many of us rush out at the proverbial last minute to buy gifts for friends and family. 

Or we opt for a simpler alternative that involves no crowded stores or long checkout lines: Cash.

Unfortunately, that doesn't go over well with everyone: Cash gifts have been criticized as showing a lack of both imagination and care. Money-themed gifts, however, are a different matter: Here are five that will suit budgets from small to large. Read more here.

Photo by Taisiia Shestopal on Unsplash

Forbes: Bukowski's 'On Cats'

By SIMON CONSTABLE

I’ve long held that real men love cats. Why? Because real men don’t need to own a butch dog to prove their masculinity. Because real men know that cats are as choosy as they are. Because real men appreciate that cats are all born engineers who will assist you by quickly highlighting the many structural short comings in your home. The fact that author Charles Bukowski loved them also only helps solidify my view.

Ecco just published a compilation of Bukowski’s poems and other writings titled On Cats. It is edited by Abel Debritto who also put together On Writing, which I reviewed earlier this year.

Read more here.

WSJ: Socially Responsible Gifts Are Great—Primarily for the Givers

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Those shopping for socially responsible gifts this holiday season, be forewarned: A recent study suggests they have the potential to disappoint.

The reason, succinctly put: A fair-trade fruitcake is still just a fruitcake.

In fact, socially responsible gifts are appreciated much more by the givers than the receivers, concluded the authors of a study recently published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. Read more here.

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U.S. News: Lift Your Returns With a Barbell Strategy

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Here's a puzzle: Should you invest in last year's beaten-down stocks, or should you stick with the winners and put even more money there?

The answer appears to be yes, do both.

That conclusion is based on an analysis conducted by S&P Capital IQ conducted exclusively for U.S. News & World Report. It looked at 25 years of data going back to 1990 and found that investing in last year's 10 worst and 10 best-performing subsectors of the Standard & Poor's 500 index is historically a winning strategy.

Read more here.

Forbes: How To Be The Worst Boss Possible -- Part 6

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Pin the Blame on the Donkey

Part six of a continuing series, which outlines how you too can be an appalling manager. Read part 5 here.

The holidays are almost upon us and what better way to celebrate than for fun and games in the office. As a potential “worst boss possible” you should consider running a continuing game of Pin the Blame on the Donkey, which is just like the pin the tail on the donkey game you played as a child. However, it is far more destructive to workplace morale.

Read more here.

Forbes: How To Be The Worst Boss Possible -- Part 5

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Part four of a continuing series, which outlines how you too can be an appalling manager. See parts one through four, here, here, here, and here.

Most of what’s been mentioned in this series has been of a tactical nature such as lambasting employees and reducing morale. However, when it comes to the topic of leadership you can actually implement a strategic initiative that will wreak havoc on whole companies.

Leadership is such a misunderstood topic, which is why you, as a potential terrible manager, can use the many nebulous definitions to your advantage. Read more here.

Photo by Robin Battison on Unsplash

WSJ: A Mark Against Broker-Sold Funds

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Should investors hesitate before buying an actively managed U.S.-stock mutual fund through a broker?

A new study finds evidence that suggests that when such funds are sold through brokers, their returns—after fees are taken into account—underperform those of similar funds sold directly to investors.

Read more here.