There has been much hubbub of late about the demise of an American institution--the beloved shopping mall. There is even a site called deadmalls.com that offers open casket views of some of the hangout places of yesteryear. YouTube offers The Dead Mall Series in which the host conducts tours through mostly empty monoliths of concrete--a play by play of morbidity and melancholy.

Brookfield Asset Management was founded in 1899 to finance streetcars and electric power in Brazil. Today, the Toronto-based firm has become a global player in alternative assets, managing about $250 billion in real estate, infrastructure, renewable-power projects, and private equity.