It’s a presidential election year here in the United States, and elsewhere in the world, there are some nasty conditions arising in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and China. Given all this, it’s very important that we stick to my core investment strategy — dividends, income and compound growth. And there are also some great international investments. This month I discuss one of my international favorites–it has become a world-class knowledge-based economy.

Tags: AA, Achievers Trust, AL, Alcoa, Alico, American Century Global Gold, American Express, Anadarko Petroleum, Apache, APC, Australlian dollar, avoid, AXP, Bank of Florida, Barron's, BDJ, BDV, BGEIX, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRock Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Enhanced Dividend, BlackRock Global Opportunities, BlackRock World Investment Trust, BOE, BOFL, BWC, C, Canadian dollar, citigroup, Clinton, Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, Cresud, CRESY, CVRD, DIA, Dodge & Cox International, Dow Diamonds Trust, Dow Jones, Dow Jones Iindustrials, DUK, Duke Energy, election, EWA, EWH, EWL, EWS, FDX, Federal Express, Federated Investors, FICDX, Fidelity Canada, Fidelity Select Natural Gas, Fidelity Select Natural Gas Fund, FII, Franklin Mutual Series Financial Services � -Z Class, FSNGX, general electric, Giuliani, GLD, harley-davidson, HBC, HOG, HSBC Holdings, Illinois Tool, Investment Trusts, iShares MSCI Australia, iShares MSCI Hong Kong, iShares MSCI Singapore, iShares MSCI Switzerland, ITW, JOE, McCain, NAREIT, National Association of Real Estate, Obama, PCL, PEP, Pepsico, PLD, Plum Creek Timber, PPP, PRJPX, ProLogis Trust, purchasing power parity, RDS.A, Rio Tinto, Romney, Royal Dutch Shell, RTP, Singapore dollar, St. Joe, streetTracks Gold Shares, Sysco Corp, SYY, T. Rowe Price Emerging Europe & Mediterranean, T. Rowe Price Japan, TAREX, TAVIX, TEFAX, the Wall Street Journal, Third Avenue International Value, Third Avenue Real Estate Value, Transports, UL, UNG, Unilever, United States Natural Gas ETF, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Value Index, Vanguard Wellesley Income, VFIIX, VIVAX, VNO, Vornado Realty Trust, VWINX, Xstrata, XTA.L, yuan

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

Do we have boom times in the U.S. or the start of a nutcracker of a new recession? For some of you, the next year is going to feel like a depression. For others, opportunities will be abundant, and you will enjoy tremendous gains in your portfolios. To help you end up on the latter side, this month I give you an overview of this complex economic, monetary, and investment scenario. And while the market’s volatility amid the credit mess can cause investors to worry, there are some reasons for optimism — especially considering the differences between today’s digital-age economy and the economy of old. Also remember that with volatility come opportunities to buy some very cheap stocks. In this issue, I also have updates to both my Monster Master Lists, with two new stocks and one new fund. Plus, all of our Top Ten Common Stocks remain strong buys, so read the January issue to find out more. Happy Holidays.

Tags: ABER, aber diamond, Anheuser Busch, BA, BAC, BACprJ, Bank of America, barclays, BHP, BHP Billiton, BKH, Black Hills, Boeing, BU, C, CDO, citigroup, coca-Cola, CPRF, credit cycle, Credit Suisse, CS, DIA, Dodge & Coz Stock, DODGX, don imus, dowdiamonds trust, EWS, EWZ, export, FDG, Fording Canadian Coal, GE, general electric, GLD, Harry Winston Diamon Corp., Hormel Foods, HRL, illinois tool works, industrial production, iShares Brazil, iShares Singapore, ITW, JNJ, johnson & johnson, KO, mcCormick, MKC, models, nestle, NILSY, Norilsk Nickel, NSRGY, nutcracker, PCL, PEP, Pepsico, pum creek, Rayonier, Rio Tinto, RTP, RYN, schlumberger, securitization, SLB, StatoilHydro, STO, streetTracks Gold Shares, TAVIX, Third Avenue International, Vanguard GNMA, VFIIX, WFMI, Whole foods, Young World Money Forecast

Today’s sub-prime lending mess has many institutional investors wringing their hands. So, this month I give you updates on all the hedge funds that have been clobbered by the sub-prime fiasco. Plus, many investors are worrying about a possible recession, but if you’ve been following my advice and set up a counterbalanced portfolio, a recession is a nonevent for you. Check out why I why I don’t think a recession is in the cards. Also, I have two new additions to the Stock Monster Master List, and I give you some insight into why I’m taking a huge position in a utility fund that you should be investing in as well. And I also have updates on our Top Ten Common Stocks and a new preferred that you should add to your portfolio. Make it a good month.

Tags: AAUK, AL, Alcan, American Century Global Gold, Anglo American, BDJ, BGEIX, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRick Enhanced Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Opportunities Equity trust, BNI, BOE, BTU, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian Pacific Railway, coca-Cola, CP, DEO, DIA, Diageo, Dodge & Cox income, DODIX, Dow Diamonds Trust, Fed, Fidelity International real Estate, Fidelity Natural Gas, FIREX, FSNGX, GE, general electric, harley-davidson, hedge funds, HOG, ING Group, KO, Microsoft, MSFT, PCL, Peabody Energy, PEP, Pepsico, Plum Creek Timber, PRASX, PRJPX, Rayonier, Rio Tinto, RTP, RYN, T. Rowe Price Japan, T. rowe Price New Asia, UL, Unilver, United technologies, UTX, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Value Index, Vanguard Wellesley, VFIIX, VGPMX, VIVAX, volatility, VWINX, Wal-Mart, William Wrigley, WMT, WWY

Many successful capital management firms and hedge funds took a scalding bath in August. In fact, Jeremy Grantham believes that up to half of the hedge funds and many of the private equity firms “will cease to exist.” But taking investment risks isn’t our method. Rather, my consistent advice to you over the years has been to rely first and foremost on adding cash to your retirement account through interest and dividends. The more you focus on compounding, the better you will sleep. This month I have a bank stock and three other companies that I am adding to my Monster Master List for you to invest in, as well as updates on my Top Ten Common Stocks. Also this month, I cover a mutual fund with a large stake in big bank stocks and what they are doing to make sure that shareholders have a reliable source of income. Make it a good month!

Tags: American Century Global BGEIX, Andarko Petroleum, Anglo American AAUKF, Apache APA, APC, BA, BAC, Bank of America, BDJ, BDV, BlackRock Dividen Achievers Trust, BlackRock Enhanced Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Opportunities Equity trust, BOE, Boeing, boton globe, butterfly effect, C, Chevron, citigroup, compound interest, Corp. SYY, CVX, DODBX, Dodge & Cox balanced, Dodge & Cox income, DODIX, EWJ, Garmin, GDX, general electric AAA-rated 6.45%, GRMN, iShares MSCI japan, JM Smucker, Long-Term Capital Management, Market Vectors Gold Miners Index, mutual funds, NEM, nestle, Newmont Mining, NSRGY, PBG, PEP, Pepsi Bottling, Pepsico, PG, PRJPX, Procter & Gamble, RGR, ruger, SJM, Sturm, Sysco, T-bills, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Japan, TROW, United technologies, UTX, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Precious Mining & Mtals, VFIIX, VGPMX, wall street journal

As the month of July was coming to a close, the Dow fell by over 300 points in one day. On a day like this a fortress-like portfolio mix of 50% high-grade fixed income and 50% dividend-paying stocks, allows a prudent and astute investor to not only sleep well but perhaps even gloat a little. This month, I talk about what’s best for your portfolio if you’re about to retire in the next 5 to 10 years. Plus, I cover the six positions I am adding to that are in our portfolio. If you are looking to smooth out your portfolio, check out my fixed-income strategy. I discuss the potential of zeros and how my Young Research Valuation Indicator can point out buy signals for you. And I have one new stock for you and one stock to sell, plus a new list of blue-chip preferreds and an update on our Agricultural Commodities portfolio. Make it a good month!

Tags: Alcan, Alcoa, Alexander & Baldwin, Alico, American Express, BHP Billiton, BlackRock, Boeing, Cresud, DB Agricultural Commodities Fund, Deutsche Bank, Dodge & Cox International, Federated Investors, Fidelity Canada, general electric, harley-davidson, ING, iShares Singapore, johnson & johnson, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Microsoft, New Era, Pepsico, Piedmont Natural gas, Plum Creek Timber, Powershares, retirement, Rio Tinto, ruger, Sturm, Syngenta, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Japan Fund, Tiffany, treasury, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Wellesley Income, Wal-Mart, withdrawal rate, Wrigley, Xstrata, Young Valuation Indicator, zeros

This month I talk about jazz great Thelonious Monk, his sense of rhythm and mastery of space. Successful investing and Monk’s music have one thing in common—space. For you, the investor, space is about what you do not want to do. In this issue, I offer you a program to help you develop your own rhythm and balance along with an overview of some of our investments and a special section on 10 Reasons to Love the Outcome of the November 7 Elections. I also talk about the bull market in precious metals and oil and why I believe there is still room to grow. Make it a good month.

Tags: Boeing, Brazil, compound interest, defense, dividends, Duke Energy, election, ExxonMobil, Federal Express, FedEx, gold, Hormel, HSBC, income, jazz, McCormick & Company, Microsoft, Minton, patience, Pepsico, Piedmont Natural gas, platinum, rhythm, risk, ruger, silver, space, Sturm, Thelonious Monk, tolerance, United Parcel Service, Vanguard GNMA Fund, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining

This month, I talk about the impact of terrorism on our economy and what that may mean for our economic outlook. The outlook looks great for our gold holdings
and I think you should add to them. There are other commodities that are cheap right now, which I think you should look into. Plus, I have some good ideas
for new money and a new addition to the Common Stocks Monster Master List. Also, since the issue went to print, one of my buy recommendations is no longer
a buy based on our updated charts. Don’t miss this update in the November issue. Make it a good month.

Tags: ABER, Aber Diamonds, agricultural commodities, AIPAC, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Anheuser Busch, BDJ, BOE, BUD, CAG, Clinton, coca-Cola, ConAgra Foods, Defense spending, Delta & Pine Land, Democrats, DIA, DLP, DODBX, Dodge & Cox balanced, Dodge & Cox income, DODIX, Dow Diamonds Trust, Enhanced Dividend Achievers Trust, Federated Investors, FII, Franklin Mutual Shares, GE, general electric, Global Opportunities Equity Trust, gold, hard-liners, harley-davidson, HOG, Hormel, Howard Dean, HRL, Iran, Israel, Jim Talent, JM Smucker, JNJ, Joe Lieberman, johnson & johnson, Kerry, KO, Lt. Col. Patterson, Massoud, mcCormick, MCD, McDonalds, MKC, MUTHX, NATO, Netanyahu, Patriot Act, PEP, Pepsico, Piedmont Natural gas, PII, PNY, Polaris, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, RGR, ruger, Salafi jihad, SJM, Sturm, TAREX, TAVFX, TAVIX, terrorism, Third Avenue International, third Avenue Real Estate, Third Avenue Value, TimberWest, TWF.UN, Vanguard Equity Income, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Value Index, VEIPX, VGPMX, VIVAX, VWELX, VWINX, Wellington, Wellsley, Wrigley, WWY, Yankee Candle, YCC

Simple is Sophisticated is my theme for you this month. In this issue, I offer you a new one-stock program that I think may appeal to those of you interested in a shorter timeframe than my usual buy it and forget it strategy. Also this month I cover a lot of ground on mutual fund investing and where you should put new money today. Plus, I talk about some of our Monster Master List companies and what recent news stories mean for your investments. Make it a good month.

Tags: ABX, American Century Global Gold, Barrick Gold, BGEIX, Burton Malkiel, coca-Cola, DayJet, Delta & Pine, DIA, DIS, Disney, DLP, Dow Diamonds, DRAM, dynamic random access memory, EWS, FAL, Falconbridge, FCEa, FICDX, Fidelity Canada, forest City, GE, general electric, General Electric Capital 6.45%, General Thabit, George Tomsco, GG, GLD, Goldcorp, Goldman Sachs 6.20%, harley-davidson, HDI, HOLBX, Holland balanced Fund, HSBC Financial 6.36%, Inco's, iShares MSCI Singapore, Jack Bogle, Japan, Jeremy Siegel, JNJ, johnson & johnson, KO, magnetoresistive random access memory, Marvel Eneterprises, mcCormick, MKC, MRAM, MVL, N, NEM, Newmont Mining, Norman Petty, PEP, Pepsico, Piedmont Natural gas, PII, PLD, PNY, Polaris Industries, Prologis, Retirement Compounders, Saudi Arabia, Simple is Sophisticated, stretTRACKS Gold Shares, Teck Cominco, TEK-SVB.TO, terrorism, The Fireballs, Vanguard Wellington, Vanguard's Value Index, VIVAX, VLJ, VWELX, Wrigley, WWY, Yankee Candle, YCC

Where do you put your money today? This month, I still have gold at the top of my list. In fact, there is a new offering from the U.S. government that I think you should buy. Also, the long-term increase trend in the Canadian dollar bodes well for our Canadian investments so I have two new funds from Canada that I want you to add to your equities positions as well. Plus, in my Monster List, I am bringing back one of my favorites, and I have breaking news that shows a strong future for this company’s new product line. Make it a good month.

Tags: AA, ABER, aber diamond, Al Qaeda, Al-Zaeqawi, Alcoa, ALEX, Alexander & Baldwin, Alpha Natural Resources, American Century Global Gold, ANR, Archstone-Smith, ASN, Bank of America Capital trust X11, BlackRock Enhanced Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Opportunities Equities trust, BTU, CAG, Canadian General Investments, Cleveland-Cliffs, CLF, coca-Cola, ConAgra Foods, DD, DEL, Delta & Pine Land, Deltic timber, DLP, Dow Diamonds, DuPont, EQR, Equity residential, FAL, Falconbridge, FDG, Federated Investors, Fidelity Canada, FII, Florida rock, Fording Canadian Coal, FRK, harley-davidson, HDI, illinois tool works, Inco, Iraq, ITW, JOE, KO, Kurds, Marvel Enterprises, MVL, N, NOC, Norfolk Southern, Northrop Grumman, NSC, PD, Peabody Energy, Pentair, PEP, Pepsico, Phelps Dodge, Piedmont Natural gas, PII, PNR, PNY, Polaris Industries, Retirement Compounders, RFID, Smart Dust, Smart Rocks, St. Joe, streetTracks Gold Shares, Sysco, SYY, Teck Cominco, trinity Intustries, TRN, VNO, Vornado, Xstrata, XTA.L, Yankee Candle, YCC