Abnormal Returns is on a week-long break this week. That does not mean that we are content-free. As we did last year we asked a panel of independent bloggers a series of questions. This year we crowdsourced the questions from readers who won a copy of the Abnormal Returns: Winning Strategies from the Frontlines of the Investment Blogosphere for their efforts. We hope you enjoy these posts. Feel free to chime in with your own answers in the comments.

Check out the answers to yesterday’s question:  In the past year what book, article or blog post changed the way you think about an important topic? (Need not be investment-related)

If you could work, without pay, with any investor or trader for one year, who would it be? (submitted by Jeff from Illinois)

Answers in order of response (first to last):

Phil Pearlman (Phil Pearman): Warren Buffett.

Steven Place (InvestingWithOptions): Jim Simons, founder of Renaissance Tech.

Bob Seawright (Above the Market): Seth Klarman

Zack Miller (Tradestreaming): Bill Ackman.

Robert Sinn (The Stock Sage): David Einhorn.

Todd Sullivan (Value Plays): Lampert: His patience is staggering (has held a large % of his portfolio >10 years ) and he clearly has a plan for everything he is doing. Of all the investors out there, IMO the least is known about him. While we all know his investments, what we do not know is the all important “why” behind them and what is the grand plan. It would be fascinating to understand his thought process.

Ivan Hoff, (Ivanhoff Capital): Any Victoria’s secret model. They have become some of the best contrarian currency indicators ever and I imagine they know a lot of hot chicks with money, who don’t know how to manage it. All jokes aside, maybe Ed Seykota if I was 18 and knowing nothing about the markets.

Roger Nusbaum (Random Roger): Picking just one is very difficult. Nassim Taleb would be great for learning how to look at a situation from different perspective then you might think is right. Jack Bogle (whom I disagree with on many things) would be great for simplicity. I’ve always greatly admired Julian Robertson and Stanley Druckenmiller–a year of either of them in their respective primes would have been a fantastic learning opportunity.

Scott Bell (I Heart Wall Street & MyGDP): Warren Buffett is obviously on everyone’s shortlist, including mine. I think he’s probably almost every market professionals lovable billionaire grandfather these days. But for a really mind-blowing experience, I’m thinking Ray Dalio, Jeff Gundlach, or James Montier. All of them are eccentric genius’ and each has a approach to their style of investing that represents brilliance. I’m guessing they’re also all fantastic company, in the office or out on the town, as long as they don’t make you cry.

Jay (MarketFolly): John Griffin of Blue Ridge Capital.

Kid Dynamite (Kid Dynamite’s World): Steve Wynn.  He’s probably not the kind of “investor” that most people thought of in answering this question, but his mastery of his industry and clear explanations make for the kind of teacher who I think I could learn a crapload from.

Jared Woodard (Condor Options): Ray Dalio.

Tom Brakke (the research puzzle): Jeffrey Gundlach (the bond market is a giant puzzle; DoubleLine has organizational challenges as it grows; and Gundlach is an interesting and provocative thinker).

Interloper (The Real Interloper): Richard Bernstein.

Rob (TechInsidr): George Soros.

CJ (Crackerjack Finance): Ray Dalio – because he has refined the process of investing and incorporates new information continuously.

Toby Carlisle (Greenbackd): Easy. Joel Greenblatt by a country mile.

DH (Dynamic Hedge): Jeff Gundlach.  Not Jeffery Gundlach the bond king, but Jeff the drummer.  That dude looks like fun.

Walter (Sober Look): Alan Howard  of Brevan Howard Asset Management.

Sean McLaughlin (The Minimalist Trader): Bill Dunn.

Eddy Elfeinbein (Crossing Wall Street): David Einhorn.

Gary Evans (Global Macro Monitor): Paul Tudor Jones.

David Merkel (Aleph Blog): Since I want to learn, it would be Seth Klarman.  If I wanted to learn a little less and have fun, Warren Buffett.  Warren really seems to be enjoying life as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway; he does more “special” things than he used to.

Josh Brown (The Reformed Broker): Definitely Jeffrey Gundlach.  I’ve met him and we have money allocated to him, I understand his process – but I feel like there’s a mad scientist thing going on there and I want to throw on a white lab coat and just soak it all in.  Besides, I know dick about bonds, I’ve always been an equities guy.

Jeff Miller (A Dash of Insight): Dr. Brett Steenbarger.   He respects and uses a variety of methods.  He focuses on improving your decision-making performance.  We all miss reading his blog, now that he has become a full-time trainer.

Brian Lund (bclund): Hands down it would be Dan Zanger.  Dan is the most successful retail trader I know, and that word “retail” is important.  I am sure many would choose Warren Buffett or Steve Cohen, and that is great if you are on the institutional side of trading or investing.   But I know what I am; and that is a retail trader.  Dan’s knowledge would be much more applicable to my trading that that of any “Market Wizard.”

Tim (The Psy-Fi Blog): I wouldn’t: a year tells you nothing.  But if there has to be a choice then GMO: Investing is simple, but not easy.

Jeff Carter (Points and Figures): Don Wilson.

Eric Swarts (Market Anthropology):  Paul Tudor Jones.

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Thanks to all the bloggers for their participation. Stay tuned tomorrow for another thought provoking question.