Christopher Chabris, Ph.D. and Daniel Simons, Ph.D.

If someone told you to keep your eye on a bouncing ball, do you think you would notice a gorilla entering into then departing your field of vision?

We kick off our summer reading series with the authors of "The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us". In a most fascinating conversation with the cognitive psychologists, we explore key elements of behavioral science and many of its applications to decision-making including the myth of intuition, the illusion of knowledge (e.g. Amaranth), and the appeal of confidence and certainty ("...we prefer people who are confident even when we have all the information we need to see that they are less accurate in what they are saying."). Bernie Madoff, anyone?

Investors seeking to gain a better understanding of their own investment decision-making process will find the time spent listening to this podcast as time well spent.

The length of the interview is 16 minutes 28 seconds.


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Don Rissmiller

"Kick the can down the road" seems to be the policy response of governments, Europe being the latest to do so. My fourth interview with the Chief Economist at Strategas Research Partners begins with this issue and the virtually inevitable consequence when "the bill comes due". We also discussed the inherent conflict between the positives of the cyclical recovery presently experienced in most regions of the world and the secular risks of a (still) structurally imbalanced world. We end with a quick look at the US consumer.

The length of the interview is 14 minutes 25 seconds.

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Dr. Ian Bremmer

As important as China and other emerging economies are to the global economy, precious little time is devoted to understanding their form of capitalism. And when it comes to western oriented economies, even less time is taken to understand which form of capitalism will emerge as the dominant economic philosophy in the aftermath of the ongoing credit and economic crises.

My interview with the founder and president of Eurasia Group, the world's leading global political risk research and consulting firm, and author of The End of the Free Market: Who Wins The War Between States and Corporations addresses these vital and transformational issues that are and will impact the global economy. Investors who take the time to go down the learning curve and seek to understand this emergent battle - its consequences and likely outcomes - will benefit significantly.

The length of the interview is 12 minutes 30 seconds.

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Dr. Robert Litan

We conclude our Innovation Series with a discussion on the financial regulatory reform working its way through Congress, America's global innovation position, the competitive threat from emerging markets' companies, and the public policy considerations.

Dr. Robert Litan, Vice President, Research and Policy, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; Senior Fellow, Economic Studies, Brookings Institution, is our guest.

The length of the interview is 13 minutes 15 seconds.

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Lakshman Achuthan

The recent market volatility has brought back into the discussion the risk of a double dip in the US economy. To this and other economic issues we turn to the prescient Managing Director of the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI).

Mr. Achuthan describes how the ECRI analysis points toward a deceleration of economic and profits growth and not a double dip. In this interview, we also explore the unique methodology of ECRI, the Euro rescue package, the impact of a shocks, and the preconditions necessary for shocks to alter the direction of a prevailing economic trend.

Note: In addition to the above noted website, those wishing to learn more about Mr. Achuthan and ECRI might consider his book, Beating the Business Cycle.

The length of the interview is 16 minutes 58 seconds.

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Dr. Ross Levine

Does recently maligned financial innovation produce an economic good? The third installment in our Innovation Series explores this question with the James and Merryl Tisch Professor of Economics and Director William R. Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University.

Fresh off his Economist magazine on-line debate with Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, Dr. Levine - the advocate for financial innovation - describes why financial innovation is not just important but "necessary for growth". We also discussed the role of regulation viz-a-viz financial innovation and the future of the economics profession (including the George Soros funded Institute for New Economic Thinking initiative.

The length of the interview is 14 minutes 12 seconds.

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Dr. Paul Kedrosky

We continue our Innovation Series with the well-known editor of the popular blog, Infectious Greed, by exploring his views on financial regulatory reform - its potential negative impact on angel investing and the implications for innovation, as well as the risk that banks would be constrained from assisting early stage growth companies. We also discussed the appropriate role of government in spurring innovation and the under appreciated aspect re how immigrants play a key role in America's standing in innovation.

The length of the interview is 15 minutes 44 seconds.

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Dr. Rob Atkinson

We kick off our Innovation Series with an interview with the CEO of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and his pointed concern regarding the substantial decline in the US's standing in innovation, how it will impact the global competitive position of the US, and the issues involved competing with mercantilistic economic systems (e.g. China).

The length of the interview is 16 minutes 05 seconds.

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Philip J. Orlando, CFA

My third interview with Federated Investors' Senior Vice President, Chief Equity Market Strategist, Senior Portfolio Manager includes a constructive view for a sustainable cyclical economic recovery based on a successful handoff from government spending to private sector growth, pent up US consumer demand, benign inflation (for now), and solid global growth in manufacturing. The longer-term, more secular issues related to the explosive growth in government debt and what is the right balance for regulatory reform are also discussed.

The length of the interview is 16 minutes 34 seconds.

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Note: Phil is actively involved with FECA, the Foundation for Educating Children with Autism

Phil Roth, CMT

Is the bull done? "Not yet", says the Wall Street veteran and Chief Market Technical Analyst with Miller + Tabak. However, a period of an extended correction/consolidation (e.g. the late 1970s) is a good probability as is the risk of seemingly out-of-the-blue, sudden declines (e.g. January 19 to February 8 of this year). Making his fifth BTSB appearance, Phil also shares his views re the continuing absence of traditional investors in the current bull market, the recently elevated levels of investor optimism, and the importance of 4.25% in the 10 year US Treasury rate.

The length of the interview is 14 minutes 22 seconds.

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Sam Stovall

Earnings season gets underway, companies don't disappoint, and stocks respond in kind. What does it mean?

Making his fourth BTSB appearance, the Chief Investment Strategist with Standard and Poors equity research group applies the historical to the present putting the good economic and market news in context.

The length of the interview is 15 minutes 03 seconds.

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Komal Sri-Kumar, Ph.D.

If you're looking for a truly out-of-consensus view re the economy and markets, my interview with the Chief Global Strategist and Chairman–Comprehensive Asset Allocation Committee for TCW will not disappoint. The economic risks of a double dip (courtesy the slingshot effect), the uncertainty re the economic handoff (from government spending to sustainable private sector growth), and a stagflation (you read that correctly!) resistant portfolio mix are among the many interesting and challenging views expressed by my guest.

The length of the interview is 17 minutes 08 seconds.

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