(Not) boring finds for June 2017

This month we were moved by the story of Eudocia Tomas Pulido; took a historical photographic tour through a few keyboards of the financial world; reaffirmed the necessity to combat cognitive biases; were a bit perturbed by the possible unintended consequences of machine learning; and appreciated the CFA’s nuanced discussion of volatility and measuring risk in active investment management.

The Atlantic — My Family’s Slave

The story of Eudocia Tomas Pulido (or Lola as she was called) who began living with the author’s family in the Philippines in the 1940s and then later in the U.S.—as a household slave.

Devastating and incredibly written.  A story that leaves a mark.

Bloomberg — A look back: The Bloomberg keyboard

Take a short virtual trip through the history of the Bloomberg keyboard. Just think: “before there were computers, there were keyboards.”

McKinsey Quarterly — A case study in combating bias

At Mawer, we’re passionate about not falling prey to cognitive biases, so this interview with the CFO of RWE discussing how crucial the rewiring of decision-making processes can be for business, was right up our alley.

Stratechery — The arrival of artificial intelligence

In which we are reminded artificial intelligence has arrived—but more importantly, defining what artificial intelligence really means.

Still a bit unfazed? Then a teaser: “How many will care if artificial intelligence destroys life if it has already destroyed meaning?” *shiver*

CFA Institute — The active equity renaissance: New frontiers of risk

An insightful discussion of how volatility is not risk.