Oil and gold prices are skyrocketing. The housing slump, along with the sub-prime write-off mess, has nowhere near run its course. Manufacturing employment is falling. And all this is occurring in the ever-important election year. But despite my jaundiced view of the U.S. presidential candidates and the storm clouds advancing over the U.S. economy, there are still promising investment opportunities to ride out the turbulence — you just need to stay focused, patient, and objective. This month marks my annual Q&A issue, so along with discussing the economy and the potential for a recession, I answer a number of the questions weighing on your minds.

Tags: AA, AAUK, ALCO, Alcoa, Alico, Anglo American, BA, Bank of Florida, BHP, BHP Billiton, Boeing, BOFL, BTU, Cameco, CCJ, China, China Panda, coca-Cola, coins, Dodge & Cox income, DODIX, Enerplus Resources, ERF, FDG, Fording Canadian Coal, GE, general electric, GLD, global economy, gold, Harry Winston Diamond Co., inflation, JOE, KO, manufacturing employment, municipal bonds, natural gas, NEM, Newmont Mining, NILSY, Norfolk Southern, NSC, oil, PBG, PCL, Peabody Energy, Penn West Energy, PEP, Pepsi Bottling, Pepsico, PG, Plum Creek Timber, president, presidential cycle, PRJPX, PRNEX, Procter & Gamble, PWE, Rayonier, RDS.A, recession, Rio Tinto, Royal Dutch Petroleum, RTP, Russia, RYN, Southwest Water Company, St. Joe, streetTracks Gold Shares, SWWC, Sysco, SYY, T. Rowe Price Group, T. Rowe Price Japan, T. Rowe Price�New Era, TAVIX, Teck Cominco, TEK-SVB.TO, terrorism, Third Avenue International Value, TimberWest Forest Corp., TROW, TWF.UN, UL, Unilever, United Parcel Service, UPS, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Growth Index, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining Fund, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, Vanguard Value Index's, Vanguard Wellesley Income, Very Light Jet, VFIIX, VFSTX, VGPMX, VIGIX, VIVAX, Vladimir Putin, VLJ, VWINX, W.M. Wrigley, WWY

Discipline and patience were two things that the Boston Red Sox could have used in the 2003 Championship Series against the Yankees. And we preach about both everyday here at Intelligence Report — discipline to stay true to our diversified portfolio and the patience to keep our focus on the long term. This approach made us successful in 2005 and will continue to help us profit in the future. This month I discuss some of our successes from the past year as well as answer a number of your questions. I also provide you with a few opportunities to help your IRAs in the next year. As we continue in the New Year, be sure to read this month’s issue for my latest advice.

Tags: Alliance Resource Partners, Archstone-Smith, ARLP, ASN, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRock Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Opportunities Equity trust, BPL, Buckeye Partners, Cameco, Canadian General Investments LTD, CCJ, China, Coal Master Limited Partnerships, counterbalancing, diversification, Dodge & Cox International, EQR, Equity residential, Fidelity International real Estate Fund, Holland balanced Fund, iShares Australia Omdex Fund, iShares MSCI Singapre Index, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, KMP, Macquarie Infrastructure company trust, MIC, Natural resource Partners, Norfolk Southern, NRP, NSC, PII, Polaris, REIT, Retirement Compounders, RGR, Rio Tinto, Royce Value Trust, RTP, ruger, Smith & Wesson, streetTracks Gold Shares, Sturm, SWB, T. rowe Price New Asia, T. Rowe Price New Era, T. Vanguard Long-Term Investment grade, Third Avenue International, Third Avenue Small-cap value, Third Avenue Value, Union Pacific, UNP, Valero L.P., Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Inflation Protected Securitites Fund, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, Vanguard Wellesley, Vanguard Wellington Balanced, VLI

In 1959, I started studying the stock market. Since then there has not been a single stock market downer in the year leading up to a presidential election. In fact, stocks usually make big gains-more so than in any other year of the election cycle. In this issue, I cover the impact of the presidential election cycle on the stock market, especially the year preceding the election. But the bulk of the issue is spent discussing my investment strategy. You need to read what I have to say about Japan versus South Korea. I also discuss fixed income and what you can expect in 2006 with regard to my Big Idea — the impending retirement of 76 million Americans. I have some new funds and some old for you to consider as well as some new stock offerings. Make sure to read this month’s issue; it will help you prepare for 2006.

Tags: AA, ABX, AL, Al Qaeda, Alcan, Alcoa, American Century Zero Cupon, Archstone-Smith, ASN, Barrick Gold, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRock Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Energy & resources Trust, BP, Cameco, Canadialn General Investments, CCJ, China, Commodity Real Return, COST, Costco, Dodge & Cox income, election year cycle, ExxonMobil, FAL, Falconbridge, FCEa, Fidelity International real Estate, Fiduciary/Claymore MLP Opportunity Fund, forest City, GDP, General Jon Abizaid, Iraq, iShares MSCI Australia Index, iShares MSCI Singapre Index, jazz, Katrina, MCD, McDonalds, Microsoft, MSFT, Mutoual Series, NEM, Newmont Mining, Norfolk Southern, NSC, PCL, PDG, PEP, Pepsico, PIMCO, PIMCO All Asset, Placer Dome, PLD, Plum Creek, President Bush, PRJPX, Prologis, Rayonier, RD, Rio Tinto, Royal Dutch, RTP, RYN, streetTracks Gold Shares, T. Rowe Price Japan Fund, T. Rowe Price New Asia Fund, T. Rowe Price New Era, T. Rowe Price Teck cominco, Third Avenue International, Third Avenue International Value, third Avenue Real Estate, Third Avenue Small-Cap, Third Avenue Small-cap value, Third Avenue Value, Third Avenue Vanguard Precious metals & Mining, Union Pacific, UNP, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Inflation Protected Securities, Vanguard Intermediate Term Treasury, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund, Vanguard Wellington, VWELX, XOM

High water is the theme of this month’s issue as I analyze hurricane-related issues and why they are vital for you when considering my Big Idea. You should also focus on the following points when considering the future: income, migration and leisure. I discuss each of these issues for you this month, as well as, what is working for us. While this has been a down year for most if you have followed our plan, you are having a darn nice year. All my balanced funds and fixed income funds are up for the year. And there are some I would consider cheap funds and stocks that I want you to focus on, especially Vanguard funds and commodities — gold, aluminum, nickel, and uranium. There is much to cover this month but if you remain focused and take immediate action, you will continue to be successful.

Tags: AA, ABN Amro capital V11, AL, Alcan, Alcoa, Bank of America, bear market, Cabco Goldman Sachs, Cameco, Canadian General Investments, CAT, Caterpillar, CCJ, China, DEL, Deltic Lumber, Dodge & cox, FAL, Falconbridge, harley-davidson, HDI, J.P. Morgan chase, JOE, Lehman Bros, Mandarin Oriental International, MCD, McDonalds, MOIL.SI, Mutual Series, New Era, Norfolk Southern, NSC, PCL, PDG, PEP, Pepsico, PII, Placer Dome, Plum Creek, Polaris Industries, Rayonier, RGR, ruger, RYN, St. Joe, Sturm, T. rowe Price New Asia, Third Avenue International Value, Third Avenue Value, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, Wells Fargo

The experts say…”stratospheric oil prices are here to stay and the housing bubble will not burst.” I disagree, and I give you the reasons why for both of these topics. I also discuss hedge funds, the US$ and a slowing world economy, but there still is a lot to be enthusiastic about. This month’s issue is loaded with great opportunities for you in funds (new and old friends), gold and stocks that should capture your attention. All of these stocks and funds connect to my Big Ideas and the impact of China’s growth on the world economy. I also have 2 stocks that I want you to sell and a merger that I want you to buy. I have also added 16 new charts to my Economic Analysis to help you understand what is going on in the world. The August issue is filled with great opportunities for you. This will be the issue that helps you overcome the inertia and take action.

Tags: Alan Greenspan, Alberto Gonzales, Alliance Resource Partners, ARLP, Australia, automobile, BAC, Bank of America, BEGRX, Bernanke, BHP, BHP Billiton, Brazil, CAG, Cameco Corp., Canadian General Investments, cars, CAT, CAtellus, Caterpillar, CCJ, CGi.to, ChevronTexaco (CVX), China, China National Offshore Oil Corp., Christopher Cox, CNOOC, coal, Codelco, commodity, ConAgra, copper, currency reserves, drought, energy, Europe, ExxonMobil, FAL.TO, Falconbridge, Fed, Federal Reserve, Fidelity, Fiduciary/Claymore MLP Opportunity Fund, FL.TO, Florida, FMO, Franklin Mutual Series Beacon, Franklin Mutual Series Qualified, Franklin Mutual Series Shares, gas, GDP, Germany, global warming, gold, gold Panda, harley-davidson, HDI, hedge fund, Hong Kong, housing, hurricane, India, JALSX, Janus Fund, Japan, JOE, Kaz, KL Financial Group, KRB, LCTM, Long-Term Capital Management, Madame Zhang Li Ju, Maine, Martin Feldstein, MBNA, metals, Michael Luttig, Middle East, Milton Friedman, mining, missiles, mortgages, MQIFX, MUTHX, natural gas, natural resources, New Zealand, nickel, Noranda, Norilsk, Norway, NRD, oil, Overseas-China Bank, PandaAmerica, PCL, PLD, Plum Creek, Precious Metals & Mining Fund, PRNEX, Prologis, R. Glen Hubbard, real estate, Renaissance Technologies, RiverTown, Russia, Sandra Day O'Connor, SEC, Singapore, South Africa, St. Joe, T. Rowe Price New Era Fund, TAREX, TAVFX, TAVIX, Third Avenue International Value Fund, Third Avenue Real Estate Value Fund, Third Avenue Value Fund, TOPP, Topps, Univision, uranium, vanguard, VGPMX, water, Weimar Republic, Wintergreen Fund, WMC, WMC Resources, XOM