Editor's Note
By Journal of Indexes Staff

I have a few things outside of the usual that I want to discuss this issue. I'll make it quick since I am pulling double duty here, writing an article as well as this Note. First of all, a pop quiz: where was the cover photo for this issue shot? If you can tell me, and your name is drawn from among the correct emails, you'll win an autographed copy of Steven Schoenfeld's new 700-page book, Active Index Investing. Send responses (and any other comments you may have about JoI, ETFR or IndexUniverse.com) to jim@journalofindexes.com. We'll plan to post the answer (and the winner) to IndexUniverse.com around October 15th.

And while we're on the subject of competitions, let this serve as a call for you to send in your research papers. As part of the IMN/IndexUniverse.com Innovations in Indexing Awards (formal award ceremony to be held on the Monday night dinner of this year's Super Bowl of Indexing), there will be a prize for best research papers. Articles already published in the JoI this year are eligible, and winners that have not yet appeared will be published in the Journal. Come one, come all-academics, index researchers, novices, etc. Any index-related research piece is eligible. You must send at least an outline or proposal to us by October 15.

We are accepting nominations for our four awards categories:

1. Most innovative index products (with separate categories for index fund, ETF, benchmark index and index derivative);

2. Most innovative use of an indexing product or strategy by a plan sponsor;

3. Best index-related research paper(s) (as mentioned above); and

4. Lifetime achievement in indexing award.

For more information, please take a look at the announcement on page 5. Send any award nominations (also by October 15) to nominations@indexuniverse.com, and any research paper submissions to submissions@journalofindexes.com. A diverse awards committee is being convened to sift through entrants and determine category winners.

One other thing before we dive into the current issue. I would like to apologize for an error in the June/July issue on commodity indexes by Ranga Nathan. Ranga's otherwise excellent article included one glaring omission. In his article, Nathan said that only the CRB and GSCI commodity indexes have futures that currently trade on exchanges. This is incorrect. The Dow Jones-AIG Commodities Index also has futures listed on the CBOT. SPCI futures and options were delisted from the NYBOT in July.

That's it for now-enjoy the issue, and keep those e-mails coming.