The Big Picture is the best site on the web when it comes to following the larger themes of the financial markets. Barry Ritholtz takes on the “big picture” from a myriad of angles and his perspective is always fresh, rather than the regurgitated hedged positions which constitute most market commentary. It helps that Barry’s interests are diverse; his website is not just a one note market commentary. Just a click off the main page is a more relaxed and personal blog, and he frequently lets his love for movies and music flow into his macro posts.
It also helps that he is a veteran investment professional, a current money manager and a regular in the financial media with his theStreet.com column called the Apprenticed Investor and as as a regular guest on such shows as MSNBC’s Power Lunch and Kudlow & Company. He is the single best one-stop shop for the 20,000k foot view of the market.
Now the bad news. His feed only has excerpted text.
The Big Picture feed was part of my top 5, the feeds which I check first and which I always read as soon as new updates arrive. But it’s tough when the feeds aren’t full text; I just can’t read it as quickly, and over time, these low (but existant) barriers forced it slide down my list, until I find myself checking it, but only when I knew I had time, and not neccessarily every day. Barry’s site is just too good to axe altogether. So, for now, it’s found its steady-state in my rotation. I emailed him back in early June ane he said he’d look into full text, but when I followed up in late June I got no reply. With the new site behind me, I think I’ll be sucessful this time.
Reasons: I see no reason for him not to have full text feeds.
- He doesn’t advertise, so that’s one potential hang-up circumvented right out of the gate.
- He’s internet savvy and wise enough to see the benefits of full text.
- He’s benevolent; he loves the masses.
- He seems more interested in sharing information than anything else (so hopefully he’ll hear my plea).
- The revolution has to start somewhere.
Barry, free the Big Picture, make its feed full text rss!
My email sent in conjunction with this post:
Barry-
Just following up from an old email. Hopefully you can make your site’s feed full text rss when you have the time. I have actually started http://www.fulltextrss.com/ for the very sake of advocating that websites and blogs decide to use and continue to use Full Text RSS feeds.
You are the first person I’m going after, since you’re the best non-full text site which I read. My strategy is to start at the top and work my way down. Let me know if you are against full text for some reason and possibly I can help you see the light. Thank you for your time.
Regards,
Will Holt
James Hamilton, I’m coming after you next.