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

This month, I talk about balance. Just like you need a balanced diet, you also need a proper balance with your investments. The proper balance is achieved
through diligent research and perspective, as well as the patience to achieve your goals. In this month’s issue of Intelligence Report, we
review the basics of our portfolio to create this balance and how well my current recommendations are succeeding for us. I also discuss an old favorite
on the Monster Master List, as I think now is the time to buy it since it is a likely takeover candidate. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Tags: American Express, AXP, BA, BACprC, balance, Bank of America Issue, BDJ, BDV, Black Rock Dividend Achievers Trust, Black Rock Enhanced Dividend Achievers Trust, BOE, Boeing, CAG, Canada, CAT, Caterpillar, coca-Cola, ConAgra, DIA, dividends, Dodge & Cox Income Fund, DODIX, Dow Diamonds Trust, Enerplus, ERF, FDG, Fording Canadian Coal, Franklin Mutual Series Shares, GE, general electric, Global Opportunities Equity Trust, GNMA Fund, Halloween, harley-davidson, HOG, illinois tool works, ITW, JOE, KO, MCD, McDonalds, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley Cap, MSFT, MUTHX, omega-3, Omega-6, Penn West Energy, PRJPX, PRNEX, PWE, Retirement Compounders, RGR, ruger, Sell harley, Simple is Sophisticated, St. Joe, Sturm, T. Rowe Price Japan, T. Rowe Price New Era, TAREX, TAVFX, The Omega Diet, third Avenue Real Estate, Third Avenue Value, TimberWest Corp, time warner, Toronto, TWF.UN, TWX, United technologies, UTX, Vanguard Equity Income, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, VFIIX, VFSTX, VGPMX, WEIPX, Wrigley, WWY, Yankee Candle, YCC

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