TABLE OF CONTENTS The Best Trades of the Year December 2004/January 2005 The Trader Monthly Awards Oil was up, the dollar was down, most everything else seemed flat. No matter: It was another memorable year in trading, and we're here to chronicle it all. Without further ado, we present 2004's best, worst and most bizarre. Race to the Middle All fall and winter, professional sports bettors battle casino market-makers for an advantage in the multibillion-dollar pro-football market. How NFL point spreads really work. Fast Times and Big Money at the NYMEX With crude soaring to the moon, the hottest exchange on Wall Street is the New York Merc.

Insider Info
Hot News, Gossip and Industry Dish
By Rich Blake , Imogen Rose-Smith | Page 14
Singapore scandal, Bacon Brothers' troubles, largest hedge-fund launch of 2004 and more > read more
Keywords: Insider Info , News

The AMEX Tomahawk Chop
Rituals
By Brian Dawson | Page 29
The truth behind a storied rite of passage > read more
Keywords: Rituals , Culture

Mahare, French Polynesia
Buy This Island
By AnnaMaria Andriotis | Page 29
Cast yourself in South Pacific, complete with the grass-skirted lovelies > read more
Keywords: Buy This Island , Travel

Poorhouse at the Penthouse Club
Absurd Receipt
By Brian Dawson | Page 29
Four traders recently spent an evening at Manhattan's Penthouse Executive Club. > read more
Keywords: Absurd Receipt , Entertainment

Will Testicular Cancer Kill Me?
Doctor's Orders
By Lisa Flanagin | Page 28
Why fiddling with your package could save your life > read more
Keywords: Doctor's Orders , Advice

Fire in the Hole
Cojones Q&A
By Brian Dawson | Page 28
Circus geek Wilbert Behn turns up the heat -- and gets jiggy with the big cats > read more
Keywords: Cojones , Profile

Buy Your Way Out Of the Doghouse
Kobe's Korner
By Victoria Weinberg | Page 26
Shot a relationship airball? Snag this ring! > read more
Keywords: Kobe's Korner , Luxury Goods

Need Sensitive Information In a Hurry?
Ask Beeks
By Brian Dawson | Page 26
Trading Places' Clarence Beeks is at your service > read more
Keywords: Ask Beeks , Advice

Spanish Accents
Trading Spaces
By Brian Dawson | Page 24
In Puerto Banús, Spain, the sun shines on even the worst trading days > read more
Keywords: Trading Spaces , International , Shelter

Master Video Poker (Part 2)
The Gambling Guru
By Deke Castleman | Page 22
An ongoing lesson in beating Las Vegas at its own game > read more
Keywords: Gambling Guru , Recreation , Advice

Prime One Twelve
The 5,000-Calorie Meal
By AnnaMaria Andriotis | Page 18
At this Miami Beach steakhouse, your meal might have led a cushier life than you do. > read more
Keywords: The 5,000-Calorie Meal , Dining

Achilles Track Club
My Charity
By Brian Dawson | Page 18
Richard Donovan, prop trader, Merrill Lynch > read more
Keywords: My Charity

Hedge Hog
Reads
By Jonathan Lesser | Page 18
Tales of a Silicon Valley score > read more
Keywords: Reads , Entertainment

How To Start a Wine Cellar
By Anthony Giglio | Page 20
Putting together a decent collection can prove fun for your tongue -- or wallet > read more
Keywords: How To... , Recreation , Advice

Ho-Ho Hooray
Tunes
By Brian Dawson | Page 20
Finally, a holiday album that isn't totally lame > read more
Keywords: Tunes , Entertainment

theticketreserve.com
Web Site of the Month
By Victoria Weinberg | Page 20
Get into the big events by playing the markets > read more
Keywords: Web Site of the Month , Entertainment

Buy and Cell
$10,000 Well Spent
By Brian Dawson | Page 22
The Vertu Signature might be the most deluxe mobile phone ever made > read more
Keywords: $10,000 Well Spent , Luxury Goods

Hot Streak
The Mental Edge
By Alden Cass | Page 54
What can Allen Iverson, the Detroit Pistons and other hoopsters teach you about trading? A lot when you're mired in a slump > read more
Keywords: The Mental Edge , Advice , Expert

Risk Is Your Mistress
The Lord of Discipline
By Ken Grant | Page 52
Understand that fact, and you're more likely to trade successfully -- with your manhood intact > read more
Keywords: The Lord of Discipline , Advice , Expert

Long-Term Game, Long-Term Gains
The Card Shark
By Johnny Chan | Page 50
Fluctuations, unlucky streaks: None of it matters if you're in the right game, avoid getting caught up in the short-term and always play tough > read more
Keywords: The Card Shark , Advice , Expert

Family Business
Celebrity Trader
By Randall Lane | Page 48
The cutest Soprano, Jamie-Lynn DiScala, recently married into a family of traders. So we gave her $50,000 to trade on behalf of her foundation, and she spent the post-election week long oil and security, short transportation. Did her Bush play pay? > read more
Keywords: Celebrity Trader

The Headmaster
Hall of Fame
By Rich Blake | Page 46
Steven Schonfeld has shared his epic trading wisdom with hundreds of followers -- and made a fortune along the way > read more
Keywords: Hall of Fame , Profile , Expert

The Elephant in the Room
Risk/Reward
By Frances Denmark | Page 42
T. Rowe Price's head trader, Andy Brooks, uses every weapon in his arsenal to keep from becoming the Street's prey > read more
Keywords: Risk/Reward , Profile

Gleaming the Cube
The Trade
By Jonathan Hoenig | Page 40
When traded right, the QQQ is the market on speed -- and the best way to bet tech > read more
Keywords: The Trade , Advice

The Spoils of War
My Best Trade
By Tom Sosnoff | Page 38
In January 1991, the United States entered an armed conflict for the first time in a long time. How the Gulf War - and dumb luck - netted me $300,000 in one trade > read more
Keywords: My Best Trade , Profile

Shipshape
Performance
By Frances Denmark | Page 34
Competitive sailing helps Harborside's Michael Cashel process information fast > read more
Keywords: Performance , Profile , Recreation

Cold Calls
Fashion
By Michael Callahan | Page 80
The chill of winter requires a seasonal adjustment, in the form of this season's hottest sweaters. Assuming, of course, that you can pry them off your girl > read more
Keywords: Fashion

Panic Buying
2004 Holiday Gift Guide
By Victoria Weinberg , AnnaMaria Andriotis , Imogen Rose-Smith , Alison Stuart | Page 80
Too busy buying and selling small countries to pick up holiday presents? No problem. From family and friends to coworkers -- and, of course, you -- these gifts will deliver a return on investment > read more
Keywords: Luxury Goods , Recreation

Fast Times and Big Money at the NYMEX
Look Out, Big Board
By Rich Blake | Page 74
With crude soaring to the moon, the hottest exchange on Wall Street is the New York Merc > read more
Keywords: Culture

Race to the Middle
The only sure-thing bet in Vegas
By Alan Schwarz | Page 66
All fall and winter, professional sports bettors battle casino market-makers for an advantage in the multibillion-dollar pro-football market. Follow along as a dozen point-spread traders try to take the casinos for millions with the only sure-thing bet in Vegas: the middle > read more
Keywords: Recreation

The Trader Monthly Awards
Our annual recognition of the best, worst and most bizarre
By Rich Blake , Imogen Rose-Smith | Page 59
Oil was up, the dollar was down, most everything else seemed flat. No matter: It was another memorable year in trading, and we're here to chronicle it all. Without further ado, we present 2004's best, worst and most bizarre > read more
Keywords: List

You Must Be Dreaming
Ask the Dream Doctor
By Lauren Lawrence | Page 112
When traders dream, bizarre and terrible things happen. but fear not, for The Dream Doctor is in. Sleep tight > read more
Keywords: The Dream Doctor , Advice

Bubble Market
Liquidity
By Randall Lane | Page 110
Not all sparking wines are created equal. Our panel of traders testS the world's best champagnes in search of the toast with the most > read more
Keywords: Liquidity , Dining

Air Apparent
High Flyer
By Robert Goyer | Page 108
The Cessna Citation CJ3 isn't merely the newest - and best - starter plane on the market. At $400,000 for a sixteenth-share, it's your personal invitation to the jet set > read more
Keywords: High Flyer , Luxury Goods , Travel

Sound Investments
Gadgets
By Seth Kelly | Page 106
Whether you seek the ultimate in audio clarity or simply want to make your windows shake, these speakers will leave you amped up > read more
Keywords: Gadgets , Luxury Goods

British Invasion
Wheels
By Larry Webster | Page 102
We let a deskbound trader loose in the 365-horsepower Noble M12. We're still shaking > read more
Keywords: Wheels , Luxury Goods

Night Watch
Watch List
By Norma Buchanan | Page 100
For a formal evening out, you need the perfect piece of arm candy: slim, elegant, expensive and very discreet > read more
Keywords: Watch List , Luxury Goods

King Kong
The Life
By Beth Reiber | Page 96
Seven years after being handed over by the British, Hong Kong is more raucous than ever, with luxurious digs, succulent cuisine and nightlife that knows no bounds > read more
Keywords: The Life , Travel

Italian Masterpiece
Spreads
By Lea Stern | Page 92
Milan has style, raising the bar for Maurizio Fabris and his bachelor duplex > read more
Keywords: Spreads , Shelter

Previously » October/November 2004

More recently » February/March 2005

Current » October 2008