Models for real-world investors


I want to begin by thanking Professor Gabor Szekely and the Department of
Math and Statistics at BGSU (Bowling Green State University) for inviting 
me to give this series of lectures.  

When Gabor made the invitation, I delayed making a decision, 
for I had too many prior commitments for this summer.  Therefore, I
apologize to Gabor for the fact that he had to repeat the invitation
several times before I finally (sighed and) agreed to do it.

Over the weekend, I discovered by accident, that these lectures are part
of the Lukacs Lecture series.  I never met Eugene Lukacs but, on many an
occasion, I have looked at his book on characteristic functions.  I found
it to be a no-nonsense book, written very carefully, succinctly too.  I've
never worked in the area of characteristic functions, for it's just too
hard for me.  But I have a colleague, Tilmann Gneiting, of the Univ. of
Washington, who has read Lukacs' book in extremely great detail, and he
has a very high opinion of the book.

And then there is the state of Ohio.  I don't visit Ohio often but, when I
do, I go away with the feeling that its people are remarkably industrious
and practical, many working at nitty-gritty industrial and farming jobs to
make a decent life in a climate which remains cold for a large part of the
year.  

I've never lived in Ohio (and I intend to remain in Pennsylvania in
perpetuity) but I have friends who live in Ohio; like me, they originated
in the Caribbean, and they too have highly positive views of the Ohio
region and its peoples.