market

Market Stall, by Marvel
$179.86
Market Stall, by Marvel: Solid wood construction with rounded corners, highlight this Market Stall as a perfect setting for pretend buying and selling. Little shipkeepers can display a variety of foods on 8 levels, 1 slanted and 1 counter shelf. There is even a chalkboard marquee for writing down daily specials. Easy assembly. -Dimensions: 29 in. W x 34 in. D x 50 in. H
-Counter is 24 in. H

The Myth of the Rational Market: A History of Risk, Reward, and Delusion on Wall Street
$27.99
I was intrigued when my Finance professor assigned The Myth of the Rational Market (TMRM) to our class as a supplement to the textbook. I'm something of a history buff and thought it might make for interesting reading. I was disappointed. The book has a bit of an identity crisis. It's likely a little too light for serious students of the subject, yet a little too technical for entertaining reading. Just as I would get familiar with (and interested in) a subject, Fox would move on to a new person. It became a little frustrating and I don't think I could recommend it to the casual reader. TMRM became the book I made myself read at least a little of each week, and that is unusual.

This isn't to say there weren't entertaining and educational parts. Justin Fox does a nice job in bringing the complex topics of efficient market theory, option-pricing models and CAPMs down to a layman's level. His research is impeccable and he highlights all the major players; Black, Fisher, Friedman, Keynes, Modigliani and Buffett, as well as a large cast of supporting players. Fox does a much better job, in my opinion however, with more "modern" economic figures than with the "founding fathers". His discussion of Mac McQuown's work at Wells Fargo to develop index-based mutual funds helped shed light for me on modern banking methods, and I now understand Michael Milken and the concept of junk bonds much better than before.

In both the "Early Days" section and the "Rise of the Rational Market" section, I felt like I was trying to drink from Niagara Falls with the deluge of names, places and theories. Without some kind of a personal reference to dates and eras, I felt all of the information simply washed over me. It wasn't until Fox began his "Conquest of Wall Street" section and through the end of the book, that I became truly interested in the subject matter again. I was able to connect the development of risk controls, hostile takeovers, stock options and the study of human nature to my own observations. My favorite chapters were probably those on Warren Buffett and Alan Greenspan. Fox seems to really dig into the subject of both men with a little more interest than many of the previous. I was able to satisfy my desire for details on each without feeling overwhelmed.

The Epilogue (The Anatomy of a Financial Crisis) was likely the most useful and interesting part of the entire book in my opinion. At last, this was the chapter I had hoped the entire book would be. It was simple, entertaining and educational. I finally understood a lot of what has gone on in the world of Fannie Maes and Freddie Macs. Subprime mortgages and Ponzi schemes became much clearer. I only wish the entire book had been written at this level. In the end, there is no clean wrap-up from Fox, but none should be expected. The financial market is an ongoing subject.

All in all, The Myth of the Rational Market is a decent overview on the subjects of the efficient market theory and Wall Street. It offers no answers and is difficult to slog through at times. If you can make it through the first half of the book, you will likely enjoy the second half much more. And you will find yourself educated, even if somewhat overwhelmed.

Market, The
$8.99
From the second Kate gets the secret IM about the market I was hooked! I had to know who was playing her, and who was really her friend in her new found popularity :) I read this in a day...because curiousty kills the cat!

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Grocery Store / Lemonade Stand
$129.99
Melissa & Doug Grocery Store/Lemonade StandKids can run their own store with this grocery store, then reverse the fabric awning for a lemonade stand. The plastic bins are removable for storage, clean-up or shopping. This wooden play center also features removable chalkboard price signs and a spacious countertop, just like the corner market!