Our economy is definitely struggling, but it has not yet entered a recession—although the job loss report from Friday has me concerned. In this month’s issue, I have added 10 charts; eight of these charts do not yet indicate a recession. In fact, two of the charts hint at continued economic expansion. During these tough economic times, it is important to find investments that offer fairly predictable returns with sustainable and growing cash flows. In this issue, I give you two infrastructure plays that fit the bill—one is an ETF and the other a U.S. based company with an attractive 7.2% yield. I also have added a new timber ETF and two closed-end funds to my Monster Master List. Make it a good month.

Tags: airport, ALCO, Alico, Alliance Resource Parters, American Express, American Society of Civil Engineers, ARLP, Awakening Councils, AXP, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRock Asset Equity, BTU, Canadian Pacific, Chavez, Chinese Internet use, chvy volt, Claymore/Clear Global Timber Index, coca-Cola, CP, CUT, depression, ECF, economy, employment, Federated Investors, FII, Forbes, Higway Trust Fund, infrastructure, Iran, Iraq watch groups, iShares S&P Global Infrastructure ETF, J.M. Smucker, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, KMP, KO, Macquarie Infrastructure company trust, MIC, murder rates, Natural Resource LP, NRP, Obama, oil prices, omega-3, Peabody Energy, Pfizer, Phillip carret, public infrastructure, recession, Rep. Mike Pence, Republican Study Committee, Rio Tinto, RTP, Saudi Arabia, Senator mcCain, SJM, Tortoise Energy, TYY, Walter Schloss, Xstrata, XTA.L

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