Fifty years ago, uranium fever hit Wall Street. It was then just a few years after a Navajo shepherd in New Mexico, by the name of Paddy Martinez, discovered “yellow rocks” on his property, mistaking them at first for gold. An avalanche of 1950s dollars (more valuable than the ones we have today) poured into mutual funds and uranium mining stocks, sending their values to astronomical levels. Get ready for d©j vu all over again, as Yogi Berra once said. Trend spotter, James Dines, editor of The Dines Letter, believes uranium mining stocks could become just as hot, or hotter, than the Internet stocks of the 1990s. (Editor’s note: StockInterview.com interviewed James Dines on July 20, 2004, when he forecast a “buying panic in uranium.” Since then, spot uranium (U3 08) prices have nearly doubled. Over the past 35 years, Dines has successfully predicted mega trends in gold, internet, palladium and uranium price movements). And now investors are chasing uranium mining stocks again.

A look at industry leader, Cameco (NYSE: CCJ), which money manager Robert Mitchell called the “Saudi Arabia of uranium,” shows a three-year gain of more than 700 percent. Over the past few years, Australian-traded Paladin Resources, skyrocketed from under a dime to over $2/share (A$). A recent Forbes magazine cover story, entitled Going Nuclear, analyzed uranium’s recent price surge, “One reason the price of uranium should keep escalating is that producers are only starting to ramp up to meet the strong demand. Utilities globally need 180 million pounds of uranium annually, but at this point a mere 108 million pounds are coming out of the ground.”

Why the sudden jump? A Morgan Stanley institutional report, published in December 2004, explained that through the 1990s, uranium oxide prices stayed low because surplus uranium came into the market from weapons decommissioning. That surplus inventory worked its way through the market. The Morgan Stanley analyst forecast a “deep supply-side shortage” of uranium, citing that new mining production hasn’t yet come online to remedy the deficit. In the year-ago forecast, the uranium deficit was expected to grow to nearly 20 million pounds this year (from a surplus of 6 million pounds in 2003), and then leap to a peak deficit of more than 35 million pounds in 2006. Deficits in excess of 30 million pounds were also anticipated for 2007 and 2008. According to the Morgan Stanley analyst, $50/pound may be possible in the spot price for uranium oxide, known in the trade as “yellowcake.”

Mining Newsletters Favor Strathmore Minerals

What’s that mean for uranium stocks? Higher prices should be anticipated as more investors, mutual funds and hedge funds search out the best returns. While the lion’s share of investment dollars is likely to chase Cameco’s price higher, the robust percentage gains in that stock may have already peaked. Generally, new money searches for well-capitalized junior mining stocks with solid uranium projects in their portfolio. One of those most frequently recommended among mining newsletter writers is Strathmore Minerals Corp, trading on the Toronto Venture Exchange (ticker symbol STM.V). Prominent among Strathmore’s projects are in-situ leach mining operations proposed for Wyoming and New Mexico, plus an aggressive exploration program in the world’s richest uranium areas, Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin (home to uranium mining giant, Cameco).

In September, letter writer Lawrence Roulston of Resource Opportunities recommended Canadian-based Strathmore Minerals (TSX-V: STM), writing, “The company is systematically adding value to the projects most likely to be significant in the near term, especially those with near-term production potential.” Also in September, Resource World contributing editor, Alf Stewart, wrote, “The two deposits Strathmore is developing were ‘cherry picked’ from the inventory of Kerr McGee, largest private explorer of uranium prior to that industry grinding to a halt in the early 1980s. As these properties are largely drilled off, Strathmore may be considered more of a uranium development company than an explorer.” This past June, money manager Adrian Day recommended uranium stocks in his research report, writing, “So I am focusing on four main areas in uranium, with one or two buys in each… top exploration companies that have the goods and are likely to bring properties into production. Strathmore Minerals, with technically strong management, lots of properties, and a strong balance sheet, is arguably the best.”

New Uranium Discovery in the Athabasca Basin?

Here’s one of the stronger reasons why investors might anticipate a strong rally in Strathmore’s share price over the coming twelve months: In a November 16th news release (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/051116/20051116005591.html?.v=1), Strathmore Minerals announced a discrete conductor, more than 30 miles long, after completing an airborne geophysical survey on the company’s Davy Lake property, in the north central portion of the Athabasca Basin. According to the company’s news release, “The conductor’s profile response indicates a deep and in places, broad source.”

Virtually all the significant unconformity uranium deposits known in the Athabasca Basin are directly associated with fault structures associated with graphitic conductors. Deposits such as Key Lake, Cigar Lake and McArthur River were found by drilling electromagnetic conductors located within magnetic lows.

In an interview with Jody Dahrouge, of Edmonton-based Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd, he told StockInterview.com, “Early indications are that this conductor is similar with other known uranium deposits, graphitic conductors with magnetic lows.” On a scale of one to ten, Dahrouge rated the Davy Lake conductor a ten. “It is a long conductor, cut by structures, with deep depth and associated by a late fault,” explained Dahrouge. “It is a high quality conductor that continues to depth, and it is typical of those occurring that are associated with known uranium deposits.” Dahrouge described how the MegaTem II airborne geophysical survey was able to pinpoint the conductor as shallow as 600 meters and running deep to 1200 meters. Dahrouge made comparisons to other uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin. “The Sue Deposit near McLean Lake is associated with an electromagnetic conductor that is approximately 2.6 kilometers long,” he said. “Based on our work at Waterbury Lake, we identified an 8 kilometers long conductor associated with the Midwest Deposit(s). The ‘P2′ conductor at McArthur River is approximately 13 kilometers long. This feature was first identified in 1984, by a ground Deep EM Survey. The Shea Creek deposits, located south of Cluff Lake, are associated with an approximately 25 kilometers long conductor, known as the Saskatoon Lake Conductor.” Dahrouge added, “These deposits are located at depths similar to what we expect at Davy Lake.”

What is probably most significant is Strathmore’s gamble, by exploring away from the eastern parts of the Athabasca Basin, some 300 kilometers from the eastern Athabasca Basin, where the major discoveries have been made. “It was virtually unexplored,” Dahrouge said with excitement in his voice. “It’s really virgin ground.” While there is ample evidence suggesting multiple uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin, other junior exploration companies are looking at the shallow parts of the eastern basin, which may not likely yield economic uranium ore. One pundit acidly questioned some of the current exploration activity in the Athabasca region, “Are they really re-flying old ground that’s already been flown a hundred times, or are they just releasing old data to save money?” Dahrouge pointed out that the uranium appears to be running deeper for many of the newer discoveries, as he believes the Davy Lake property might hold true for Strathmore Minerals in the north central part of the Athabasca Basin.

Important features in many Athabascan uranium deposits are the cross-cutting fault zones. Dahrouge confirmed the Davy Lake conductor has cross-cutting fault zones with a sinistral (left-sided) fault about halfway along its length. According to Dahrouge, there is also a “conductor extension which crosses the fault from west to east and ‘flows’ out into a small, sub-circular magnetic low.” As with many of the Athabascan uranium deposits, which tend to be found between overlying sedimentary units and underlying basement rocks, the Davy Lake conductor fits the bill. Strathmore Mineral’s president, David Miller, told StockInterview.com, “the 50-plus kilometer geophysical anomaly appears to indicate a basement conductor.” However, Mr. Miller tempered the exhilaration in the air, “A geophysical anomaly does not make an ore body. These exciting initial results will be followed up with infill geophysical lines, followed by ground geophysics, followed by shallow drilling, looking for alteration. When we have narrowed the target to drill, we will pull in the big rigs and test the conductor at the unconformity.” Dahrouge remains excited about the Davy Lake conductor, and said, “Clearly this represents an excellent exploration target for unconformity type uranium deposits.

What does all that mean? It could explain why Strathmore Minerals might well be on the road to a world-class uranium discovery as further exploration more clearly defines how valuable those newly discovered conductors might become. Meanwhile, Strathmore’s New Mexico and Wyoming properties (amounting to potentially several million pounds of uranium resource) are in the preparatory phase of the permitting process. As the spot uranium price inches forward to the widely accepted short-term target above $40/pound, several of Strathmore Mineral’s properties may become instantly more valuable to a utility company who will someday need the company’s uranium oxide to fuel their nuclear reactor.

James Finch regularly contributes to StockInterview.com, which is found at www.stockinterview.com. Mr. Finch holds no equity positions in any of the stocks featured in his articles.

The healthcare profession term a swollen prostate gland benign prostate hyperplasia, or BPH. In layman’s terms this actually means the prostate gland, a mass which envelops the urethra and lies just under the bladder, swells this can impair and even block urinary flow. The prostatic gland grows as the years pass and as a result can cause ailments for example urination difficulties, diminished urinary stream, and also the holding of residual urine within the bladder. Too frequent urination interrupting sleep and even recurrent urinary tract infections can also be caused by prostatic engorgement. Prostatic Enlargement - What Does that Mean? Men in their 60’s commonly have a swollen prostate. An annual exam is highly recommended for men over 50, regardless of the presentation of any symptoms, to aid in maintenance of improved prostatic wellness. Inability to micturate or the presence of blood whilst passing urine should lead to getting immediate medical treatment.

Surgical operations and the use of pharmaceuticals are common treatments for benign prostate hyperplasia. Nevertheless, surgery can lead to more symptoms for example impotence or loss of bladder control. An alpha blocker or drugs that reduce the prostate gland are often suggested for better prostatic function, however, medication will often lead to undesirable side effects. So what alternatives are recommended? Prostate Gland Enlargment Troubles? Find Herbal Therapies to Reach a Healthier Prostate

To avoid any symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate and to encourage improved prostate gland fitness, several treatments are suggested. Swelling is reduced by Afican pygeum, relieving a lot of the symptoms. The herb African Pygeum has been extensively used for quite a few years in Europe as a therapy to encourage better prostate health, it is produced by an African evergreen tree.

Dietary factors for example decreasing the intake of fats can improve symptoms, so will getting more excercise more often, an increased frequency of ejaculations to relieve pressure in the prostate gland, and trying to keep to a minimum periods of extended sitting. Symptoms are frequently aggravated by the consumption of antihistamines and decongestants purchased over the counter, use these with care. Further suggestions include to cut out having something to drink close to retiring for the night in decreasing urination during the night, and cutting back alcoholic beverages and drinking less coffee may also prove useful. There’s also a multitude of further alternative remedies taken for better prostatic health — such as saw palmetto extract, borage oil, selenium, and also lycopene, which can be extracted from tomatoes. Make sure you discuss your plans with your physician prior to introducing the alternative treatment of an enlarged prostate.

What is an Angel Investor?
An Angel is usually a private person who invests in small businesses. The Angel is generally a successful businessperson or entrepreneur who looks to invest in a business that has potential for growing their investment in the future.

Angels are mainly successful entrepreneurs who may have retired. Angels can also be made up of friends and relatives who simply want to invest in a business where family are involved and where there is potential for good gain in due course.

They are obviously wealthy and have sufficient extra capital to invest in a growing business in return for a share of ownership of that business. They supply funds at various stages of the growth process of the business and are more involved in the start-up phase, rather than in the other phases later on.

Angels also have a lot of experience in running businesses, so they can assess an investment opportunity and will invest if they feel that the risk is small. They usually like to invest in businesses that are located within a reasonable distance from their home and their reasons are varied, including not only economic, but also personal.

What do Angel Investors look for?
Angels seek companies that have high growth potential and that have products or services, or an invention that has an attractive future profit growth. Angels also are concerned with the management of the business and it is in this area that many Angels may get themselves personally involved.

Angels can bring their own experience, as well as their business contacts which are all important factors in the success or otherwise of the venture. Those who do not want to take an active day-to-day role in the business can take on a management type involvement by serving as a consultant or as a member of the board of directors.

Because of the amount of money Angel investors usually put at risk in a business investment, they are a lot easier to secure than going for the larger funding from the likes of venture capitalists. Typically an Angel would invest anywhere from between $10,000 to $500,000, especially in the start-up phase of the business development.

What is an Angel Network?
An Angel network is a group of organisations that work as a team to introduce business entrepreneurs to possible investors. Their role is to be a facilitator or party that introduces Angels to investments and to the potential of those investments. They are not really brokers or business advisers as such, because their main function is to bring together the two parties.

These Angel networks vary in size and in makeup and can include other businesses, business development groups, government agencies, and even academic bodies and institutions. They are all usually non-profit groups whose sole reward is to see successful businesses brought about because of a partnership with Angel investors.

The Advantages of Business Angel Finance
Obtaining funding for a new business venture is never easy. In fact, it is very difficult because of the risks involved and because the whole idea or venture is unproven. Many entrepreneurs come across many disappointments when trying to seek funding for the initial development of their business idea and they give up.

If your business is new, too risky or unproven to qualify for the usual methods of generating business funding, and if it is too small or with insufficient substance or potential to get the attention of venture capitalists, then you may need to look for an Angel for finance.

Many businesses have grown and become large successful corporations because at the early stages an Angel or a few business Angels banded together to provide the capital necessary and the start-up at the early stage of the business.

The biggest advantage of business Angel finance is that they do not require security. This means that they are suited especially to those business that have little in the way of assets, but whose main asset amounts ideas or inventions, or copyrights they possess. Their main asset may simply be intellectual capital only.

Angels do not require security because they purchase a share of the business by taking in equity or shares in the company. Another advantage of business Angels is that they are much easier to secure than venture capital or bank finance.

The reason is because an Angel can be anyone that they entrepreneur comes across, whether a relative or an associate, or simply a professional investor who is involved in small business financing.

One of the biggest advantages an Angel brings to a business is their valuable experience and skill, which can be just as advantageous to the business as capital. There is little gain in your business if you borrow $ million from an Angel investor, only to see it frittered away and lost because you did not have the management skills or the experience to capitalise that investment capital.

Copyright 2005 StartRunGrow
http://www.startrungrow.com

StartRunGrow (http://www.startrungrow.com) is a global online information organization that specializes in creating, developing and marketing business help information specifically with the aim of “making business easier” for entrepreneurs around the world. The StartRunGrow objective is to become a dominant player in the business help arena providing end to end solutions for the millions of small and medium businesses worldwide who continue to struggle daily with the difficulties of starting, running and growing a successful business.

A Tiny Way to Play Something Huge: The Nanotech Promise

By Michael Brush January 26, 2006

Few “new” technologies have stirred as much controversy as nanotechnology - the science of how to exploit behavioral quirks that develop in materials when you smash them up into really tiny particles.

Coming onto the investment scene as a theme a few years ago (http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/P63642.asp), nanotechnology holds the promise of breakthroughs like powerful mini-computers, new families of drugs and diagnostic tools that can detect diseases early on, say proponents.

Detractors claim much of nanotech is plain old fraud - or at best nothing more than the latest trendy investment rubric that unscrupulous managers try to fit their companies into, as a way to generate buzz and attract funding.

A fraud?

Few critics have been as vocal as short-seller Manuel Asensio who has maintained a scathing campaign against at least one company seeking the nanotech mantel, NVE (NVEC). It should be no surprise, of course, that Asensio has had a short position in the stock - or a kind of bet that the stock will go down.

“NVEC still hunting for illiterate investors,” was the headline on a December missive from Asensio maintaining that NVE recently announced it had been awarded a research grant but failed to mention in the press release that it was for the minimal amount of $190,000. Other Asensio assaults have carried biting headlines like “Is NVEC a fraud?”

Since I started following Asensio’s attacks on NVE in late 2004, the company’s stock has declined over 50% to trade recently for around $16. The sharp decline underscores how easy it is to lose a lot of money investing in a single play billed as an easy ride on a hot technology.

In other words, investors really face two problems when looking for a way to play nanotech. First, they’d be dumb to ignore it, because many people will ultimately find ways to make a lot of money with nanotech. Second, however, there are no nanotech mutual funds. And buying a basket of these companies on your own can tie up a big part of your capital.

A small way to something big

Fortunately, insiders have recently been showing the way to an alternative that takes care of both these problems. Around the end of December, there was a small flurry of insider buying at a company called Harris & Harris Group (TINY).

Based in New York, Harris & Harris is a sort of venture capital fund that puts money into small, private companies that are working on nanotech breakthroughs. By following the insiders and buying shares of Harris & Harris, you’d be getting a diversified portfolio of potential winners in the nanotech field. To be sure, the Harris & Harris insider buying has been relatively light - only $111,000 since last summer.

But Harris & Harris still looks promising. In the past two weeks alone, it has:

* Invested in the Durham, North Carolina-based Metabolon, a company that is working on discovering biomarkers and measuring biochemical changes and how they affect metabolic pathways as a way to diagnose diseases early.

* Upped its investment in a company called Chlorogen which uses a technology that alters tobacco plants in a way that coverts them into little “factories” producing proteins that may one day treat gynecological cancers.

* Upped its investment in NanoGram, a San Jose, CA, company working on the application of nanotechnology in optical, electronic, and energy products.

These are among more than two dozen investments that Harris & Harris has going in the nanotech field.

Some concrete catalysts ahead?

If all this seems too esoteric, WR Hambrecht + Co. analyst John Roy identifies two more concrete near-term catalysts that could move the stock.

First, there’s a nanotech investing conference that will run from January 30 to February 2. News and presentations could move Harris & Harris shares.

Second, Roy expects a few nanotech initial public offerings soon. If successful, they would shine a spotlight on Harris & Harris - since it has investments in companies that may one day go public, too.

“While the next nanotechnology IPOs may not be in Harris & Harris’ portfolio, successful nanotech IPOs will likely reflect well on the company,” believes Roy.

A wee bit of caution

To me, this is the kind of investment you put just a little money into for the long-term - meaning several years. Despite his enthusiasm for the stock, for example, Roy only has a $17 price target on it. The stock recently traded for $14.80 suggesting limited upside - though stocks in hot sectors are known to blow through analysts’ price targets fast.

What’s more, in a recent letter to shareholders, Harris & Harris said it may need to invest $200 million to $700 million over the next five years to keep on top of the field. That’s a lot of money for a company with limited revenue. So it may need to do a dilutive financing.

The bottom line: Some major breakthroughs are going to come out of this science of the small. But they could be a long time in coming. I’d only put a nano-slice of my investment portfolio into this stock as a way to play the developments.

Disclaimer

At the time of publication, Michael Brush did not own or control shares in any of the companies listed in this column. Mr. Brush is an independent columnist for this web site.

Under no circumstances does the information in this column represent a recommendation to buy or sell stocks. For more on Insiders Corner disclosure, see the disclosure section in About Insiders Corner: http://www.investorideas.com/insiderscorner/. InvestorIdeas.com Disclaimer: www.InvestorIdeas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp. InvestorIdeas is not affiliated or compensated by the companies mentioned in this article.

With so many financial advisors trying to woo you with their qualifications and experience, how do find one you can trust your finances with? ‘Trust’ is the keyword here, as you will depend on him/her for your future financial security. A good financial advisor can help you determine which investments are best suited for you, based on your financial goals. He/She will also be able to help you with a savings program to build your assets.

First and foremost, identify your own needs i.e. your risk-tolerance, insurance needs, taxes and whether you want short-term or long-term benefits. Once this is done, choosing a financial advisor becomes easy. Seek references from your friends and get inputs about their own experiences. You then need to interview the advisor and ask him questions about his experience, track record, services provided, investment approach and educational credentials. Gauge your level of comfort with the advisor as you are looking for a long-term relationship. Never hesitate to ask whatever is on your mind; however foolish the questions may sound. Always remember that it is your money and your future.

Ensure that your financial advisor has the time to meet you frequently, perhaps once every three months and explain everything you need to know. He/She should be able to provide you with a quarterly assessment and advice you on any change in strategies. To get this one-to-one personal advantage, select a smaller firm than a larger one with an exhaustive clientele. Make sure that you choose an advisor who is compensated on a fee-only basis rather than on brokerage commissions. Advisors who work on commissions are obviously placing their own financial gains above your efficient financial management. They may recommend frequent and unnecessary transactions to derive benefits from them.

Your advisor should be able to understand your investment style and risk tolerance. He should have the experience and the knowledge to accurately supervise your investments. Someone who has counseled clients and experienced market fluctuations will never let you down. If your advisor has started, managed or owned a business, he/she will have experience that might benefit you. In some cases a formal educational background compensates for a lack of practical experience. But, in any case, it is important that a your advisor works in a team and has experts to fall back on.

Finally, find out if the advisor has any complaints or disciplinary actions on file. For brokers and securities firms, call the NASD’s Public Disclosure Hotline and to check on Registered Investment Advisors, call the SEC’s Investor Education Hotline. Be careful that you don’t handover your hard earned money into unsafe hands. Above everything, use your own judgment. If you want your finances to flourish with time, it is essential that you choose the right advisor.

Dan Noyes

Financial Advisors

While Forex trading is becoming more popular in the United States, the vast majority of investors still do not understand the massive advantages offered in the foreign currency market when compared to equities or fixed income trading. When you fully grasp the following concepts, you’ll understand why you might want to reconsider your current investment strategies.

1. Currency prices are not heavily influenced by institutional investors. In stock trading, there is a limited amount of volume on a daily basis. Each stock has a specific number of shares on the open market and trade prices are governed by the number of people attempting to buy or sell shares at a specific point in time. This makes the market vulnerable to price swings when a large investor is attempting to buy up or unload large amounts of shares. For example, if some pension fund owns 10% of a company and suddenly decides to liquidate their position, the market is now flooded with sell orders. Since the amount of shares attempting to be sold will outnumber the amount of buy orders, the price of the stock will start to drop as the number of buyers days up. This creates losses for the remaining shareholders. On the other hand, the forex market is so massive and has so many investors that no single investor can possibly have a major impact on pricing. There are too many units of Euros, Dollars, Yen, etc for any single institution to hold even close to a controlling interest in any currency.

2. Margin requirements are significantly lower in forex trading than equity trading. While the exact amount of margin allowed is determined by each broker, the restrictions are usually much less stringent when trading forex. Margin allows the investor to “play with house money.” In essence, you’re borrowing money from the broker to invest in your own account. While this can be risky, it can also be insanely profitable. For example, let’s say you have $10,000 of your own money to invest. If you open up a margin account at an equity broker, you can usually margin up to 50% of the value of stock. So if you buy $10,000 in Microsoft stock, you can borrow another $5,000 to own a total of $15,000 in value. With your forex account, the margin requirement is often as low as 1%. Which means that if you buy $10,000 in Euros, you can use your broker’s money to buy another $1,000,000. So you now own over $1 million in Euros. Now lets say that the value of each investment increases 10%. Your $15,000 in Microsoft stock is now worth $16,500. You sell it, pay back the $5,000 you borrowed, and you pocket $1,500 in profit (minus any fees or interest). Your return on investment is 15%. If your Euros went up 10%, your $1 million is now worth $1.1 million. After selling and repaying your broker, you profit $100,000 before any interest. That’s a return on investment of over 1,000%. Of course, you need to be extra careful when trading on margin. Imagine if the transaction went the other way. You’d be in a much bigger hole in the forex scenario. But the potential for enormous gain is there and is one of the major reasons why forex trading is so attractive to serious investors.

3. Forex trading is open 24 hours a day. Unlike the U.S. stock markets, you can trade forex any time of day from Monday through Friday. If a major news story breaks when you’re holding stock, and it’s after hours, you’re stuck holding onto your position until the market opens the next day. By the time this happens, everyone else knows the news and there’s thousands of buy/sell orders waiting when the opening bell rings. This will dramatically influence your trade price and negate any advantage you might have had by being one of the first to react. Keep in mind that many corporations withhold major news such as earnings reports and personnel moves until after the market closes. They do this to minimize emotional trading, which is smart for them to do but also hurts savvy investors. Since Forex trading is open 24 hours, you can place your trade order whenever major events occur.

4. The foreign exchange market is more liquid than the equity market. Forex is the largest market in the world. Every day, an average of $1.4 trillion dollars is traded, and the amount of securities (foreign currencies) is minuscule when compared to the number of companies traded in the equities market. This means that there are always buyers to be matched with sellers, which means that you’ll have a much better chance to get a fair and accurate price on your trade than if you were trading a low volume stock where the bid and ask spreads can be very large.

5. Forex trading offers the advantage of limited risk. This is one of the large advantages over the futures market. When you buy a futures contract, you are obligated to buy or sell a specific amount of a specific commodity at a specific time for a specific price. Which means that if disaster hits, you’re out of luck. For example, lets say you buy a futures contract to sell corn. If news breaks that reports an outbreak of deaths caused by a pesticide used in corn crops, the price on your contracts will drop through the floor, limits will drop, and you could be stuck in your position and end up taking massive losses. This would not happen in the forex market since you can leave your position at any time.

Let’s face it. Most of the financial advice out there says something like this, “If you make on average $60,000 per year…” Most of the advice is designed for baby boomers about to retire. The young generation 35 years-old and under are not going to relate when their incomes range from $25,000 to $40,000. True their income may rise someday but there is a good chance it could decrease with the onslaught of lay-offs, downsizing and cost cutting. The wages their parents earned who worked at companies like GM making a combined income of benefits and wages in the $65 per hour range are not likely to be around in the future. Many of these companies have two-tier wage systems that hire new workers somewhere around $24 per hour (benefits and wages combined). Not only are low wages going to be a problem but also lack of employment opportunities, high interest mortgages, expensive college education, lack of social security income and major cut backs in all federal spending. So what strategies should a young person making his/her way in a “tough times” economy to do?

The biggest advantage young people have is their age. Compound interest is a very powerful force that is likely to make or break a retiree. By putting away only $200 per month from the age of 30 and compounding it at 9% interest a young person could have around $500,000 by the time they are 67 years-old. Double that amount and you could be well over a million dollars. With a 401K offered by your employer it becomes very easy to save because it is pretax dollars that you don’t have to think about.

You may also choose to put your money into a Roth IRA. Generally, the money is taxed before it is put away and then you don’t have to pay taxes on it in retirement. Not a bad deal when it has compounded for 30 years. The best retirement utilizes a combination of the two. It is beneficial to put away money automatically in your 401K and set a goal of putting away $100 or $200 per month into a Roth IRA.

One may also consider reducing the cost of big expenditures and saving big money. The housing market is beginning to cool as baby boomers are leaving the market with their large incomes. It won’t be long before appreciation on houses has returned to a mediocre percent such as 3%-5%. As a young person trying to show his or her financial stuff they may want to buy the nicest houses they can get. Unfortunately that nice house also comes with a large mortgage payment. A good rule to follow is that your housing cost should not be over 25% of your household income. For example, If my wife and I make 70,000 (two young professionals at $35,000/year) than we could have a house that costs $1,400 per month. Because we are financial savvy, with a lot of energy, we bought an older house with an $800 per month mortgage payment, put our sweat equity in it, and watched its value increase 20%. Because we were under our $1,400 limit we also bought 10 acres for a nice cottage at $300 per
month. Now we are increasing our long-term assets at a cost of $1,100 per month. What happens to the savings? Well they go into our retirement account.

Of course one of the best ways of saving money is diverting your expenses into investments. Basically, “You don’t buy what you don’t need!” Go to discount grocery stores, take cheap vacations within driving distance, buy good quality clothes at discount prices, and stick to a solid budget. It is much easier to save money than it is to make more. Keep in mind that even though you don’t look as wealthy as your friends you are probably much wealthier financially. Trust me; no one gets out of college making a hundred thousand dollars a year. Therefore, don’t try and make your self look like it.

Murad Ali is a two-time published author of “A call to greatness” and “An American Mecca that deals with the economic and political reform. He is the author of The Muslim Times, runs a consulting business, is a doctoral student and a farm owner. For more articles written by Murad visit www.muradenterprises.org

A brief guide to international investing

Foreign markets make up close to 50% of all opportunities for investing in stocks and bonds. As the world of business becomes more globalized, investors are seeking new avenues to invest and diversify with, but there are special issues to consider when investing in foreign markets. There can be great advantages to investing internationally as long as you keep the risks in mind. Most investment advisors recommend diversifying your portfolio with 10% to 20% of your investments being made in the international markets. A good understanding of your specific goals and the additional risks are important to making sound investment choices.

When investing in foreign markets, it is important to keep track of the exchange rate between the market currency and the US dollar. The impact of the exchange rate is opposite to the rise or fall of the dollar. For example if you were to invest in the German stock exchange, the Deutsche Brse AG, you would need to keep track of the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Euro. As the Euro rises against the US dollar, you will earn more, if the dollar rises, you will earn less. The stronger the dollar the less a US investor will earn over time in a foreign market. Diversifying in several foreign markets can help mitigate the risk and still allow an investor to reach the higher returns available from other markets.

One option for global diversification in your portfolio is to purchase American Depository Receipts. ADRs are the easiest way to purchase foreign shares. American banks issue ADRs and the certificates represent indirect ownership in specific foreign firms. ADRs allow an investor to buy, sell, and receive all dividends in US dollars, making the tax paperwork much easier to follow. If a company pays dividends those payments are sent through a US clearinghouse and promptly paid in US dollars.

Publicly traded sponsored ADRs are registered with the Security Exchange Commission (SEC). There are two levels of sponsored ADRs; Level I ADRs are typically purchased OTC and generally represent either smaller companies or companies that cannot list on the larger exchanges. The Level I ADRs are exempt from US reporting rules. Level II ADRs are listed on the NYSE or Nasdaq exchanges and must report using the SEC Form 20-F.

Direct purchases of foreign stocks are made through one of the foreign exchanges in the foreign currency. Direct purchases usually have slightly lower transaction costs, but the costs of changing currencies can limit the advantage. If you want to invest in a specific foreign company, however, it may be the best way for you to do that. To find out which exchange the company you are interested in works with, use the company website for investor information.

Many US investment firms offer a third alternative. You can purchase global mutual funds that are diversified across many countries. These individual funds are available with concentrations in a given market (such as the German Stock Exchange), region (such as South America or Europe), or specific industries (such as high tech or energy related stocks). These mutual or bond funds offer a great way for you to invest internationally and still be able to make easy trades. Most of these mutual funds are listed on the New York Stock exchange and can easily be purchased through your broker.

To find foreign market investment opportunities or to learn more about the markets some great resources are the World Federation of Exchanges (http://www.world-exchanges.org), The Bureau of Economic Analysis (www.bea.gov), or the Federal Reserve (www.federalreserve.gov).

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Your child has autism and you’ve been told that social skills deficits are to be expected. So what can you do to help your child learn how to behave properly, make friends, and get along in the world?

Like me, you may have been told that your child needs to be in a school setting with other children to be socialized. Let’s consider for a minute what kind of social skills a child with autism may learn in school.

1. In a school or classroom setting, your child is exposed to both positive and negative socialization. This isn’t really debated by any of us who have been in school. The question is whether or not the “good” socialization outweighs the “bad” socialization.

2. There are typically two placements for children with autism when it comes to schools. Each comes with its own drawbacks as far as social skills are concerned.

For those who are lower-functioning, there is the special ed classroom. If your child is placed in a special ed class, they may actually pick up negative behaviors from the other students. Children who have never said a bad word in their lives come home with all sorts of words that the parents know they didn’t teach their child. Or maybe a child who wasn’t aggressive previously starts imitating the hitting, biting, or screaming of a classmate. That’s not what I think most parents are hoping for when they are told to put their child in school to learn social skills.

If your child is higher-functioning, they may be mainstreamed in a regular ed classroom. Will the typical behaviors of their peers be the positive socialization you hoped for? Unfortunately, many times children with autism become an easy target for bullies who cause them physical and emotional harm. Other classmates, who may be nice enough themselves, may still go along with cruel jokes or name calling at the expense of a child with autism just because they don’t want to be ostracized from their peers. Whether it’s bullying, teasing, or isolation, children who are “different” and don’t possess the same social abilities as their peers often experience great difficulties just trying to survive a day at school. These children often exhibit signs of tremendous stress and anxiety, depression, and some even contemplate suicide.

So are there any alternatives? Families who are concerned about the educational and social well-being of their children often choose to teach them at home. Home-schooling offers a better opportunity for positive socialization while drastically limiting the possibility of negative social experiences. Home-schooled children are not isolated or “unsocialized”. Home-schooling simply provides the opportunity for parents to expose their children to a variety of social situations when they feel their child is ready to handle them. Most communities have home-school groups that offer park days, sports teams, special classes or lessons, as well as informal get-togethers for home-schooled children.

It must be noted that children with autism do not learn social skills simply by being with typical peers regardless of the setting — school or home. In order to master social skills, autistic children require specific instruction and opportunities to practice skills first in settings with one other child, then with two children, then in small groups, and then in large groups. To place a child with autism into a classroom situation (or any group situation) and assume that they will learn beneficial social skills just because other children are present is not supported by research or real life (See point #4 in the open letter from Dr. Ivar Lovaas, autism expert, at http://featbc.org/why_lovaas/letter.html).

Common sense tells us that we don’t teach a child with autism to swim by throwing them into the deep end of a swimming pool and telling them to start swimming. Likewise, if we want children with autism to “swim” in the social world, we can’t just put them in a situation that virtually ensures their failure. We must teach them step-by-step and give them plenty of time to practice their social skills in a supervised setting. We can accomplish this via one-on-one play dates with peers, social skills small groups, sibling/parent relationships, community outings, etc.

So the next time someone suggests that you should put your child with autism in school simply because of their need for socialization, consider exactly what that means for your child. There’s not much compelling evidence to suggest that inclusion in school settings is accomplishing positive socialization or excellence in education for most children, especially children with autism. We can do better at home.