Bye, Portfolio

I was never one of the biggest fans of Conde Nast's Portfolio. I can't give them a hearty three cheers even on the occasion of their demise.

Indeed, for my former employer, HedgeWorld, I wrote a critique of the first issue of this mgazine, under the headline, "Where's the Bonfire? Whose Vanity?"

That first issue featured a story by Tom Wolfe, looking at hedge fund managers in Greenwich and Manhattan. This was non-fictioned leavened by novelistic technique, akin to the style Wolfe employed in "The Right Stuff." Frankly, though, Wolfe's story about hedgers stunk and I'm happy to note that I said so at the time.

Still, Portfolio did host some valuable work in the issues thereafter. I appreciated, for example, Jesse Eisinger's story in the March 2009 issue, "The Private Equity Meltdown Myth."

And in general the website of the magazine hosted a slew of bright bloggers who regularly outshown the deadtree operation. They aren't going anywhere. They each have other homes and will keep us informed, though we will have to do a bit more surfing now, and wear out our typing or clicking fingers a bit more, to keep track of them all.

It is sunset time for Portfolio, so it is time to think good thoughts and wish them well. Don't drink and drive though, guys, okay?