Hot Links: Trading, PPIP, Protests, Spices & Econoland!

What I'm reading this morning:

Hot Links for Weekend Reading

Ever wonder about the “being responsible” side of trading on your own for a living?  I have a lot of trader friends and I respect the discipline they show in terms of segregating moneys and so forth in the heat of the battle.  Michael Higgins of Tickerville wrote a really personal piece about the fiscal responsibility that comes with being a full time trader.

2 links for Barry Ritholtz’s The Big Picture this week.  First, a post by David Kotok that explains the Public-Private Investment Program in simple terms, still sounds like a sweet deal for the private companies from a risk/reward standpoint.  Then, lightening up the mood a tad (they are a very serious bunch over at TBP), a Top 10 list to come up with what the “GM” in General Motors really stands for.  My faves?  Giant Mess, Goodbye Michigan! & Grossly Mismanaged.

Adam Sharp of Bearish News wrote a well-researched indictment of how the ratings agencies tend to favor their clients when doling out ratings.  No surprise to anyone on The Street, but a very interesting take nonetheless.

I’m a history buff and I love to learn about the space where history and commerce collide.  Paul Kedrosky, the prolific writer of one of my fave blogs, Infectious Greed, did a post about Vasco de Gama, European Markets and the Spice Trade that I thought was pretty cool.

Over on Dealbreaker, my pen pal The Anal_yst got down and dirty at the Wall Street pseudo-protest Friday in order to send back a few pics of the event.  This one was just as pathetic as all the other attempts around the nation as no one showed up (and no, not because of the rain).  Abbie Hoffman is rolling in his grave.

And finally, The Economist brings us a new finance and fiscal theme park for our times, Econoland!

Happy Saturday, kids.