Flying Car Update

Those of you who have been reading Stockerblog.com for a long time know that I have occasionally been writing about flying cars. For example:

Wall Street Video of the Week: Flying Car Stock

All Electric Flying Car

Flying Saucer Car

A Genuine Flying Car for Sale: Great Gift

Now there is a flying car that uses a parachute and has flown through the skies over Africa.

For the Investor Who has Made a Lot of Money in the Bear Market: A Trip to Outer Space

Here is a great gift for yourself or a best friend: a trip to outer space. BillionairesLife.com has discovered a company that will allow members of the general public to ride on suborbital and orbital space flights.

First Fees for Extra Luggage, then Food, then Headsets, Now Toilets

You are probably fully aware of all the additional fees that airlines are charging, but this one takes the cake. How would you like to pay to use the bathroom? This is something that Ryanair (RYAAY) is considering for its flights. Ryanair trades on NASDAQ.

By Stockerblog.com

Where to Get a Free iPhone

Yes, it is possible to get a free Apple (AAPL) iPhone up until May 31. There are only two catches: you must sign up for a two year contract and it is only available in Japan.

14 Banks Have Failed So Far This Year

Last September, I reported Bank Failures Up 250% for the Third Quarter. It's only been two months for 2009 and there have already been 14 bank failures so far. Last year at this time, only one bank had failed during the first two months of the calendar year. Here is the 2009 list:

Silver Falls Bank, Silverton, OR February 20, 2009
Pinnacle Bank of Oregon, Beaverton, OR February 13, 2009
Corn Belt Bank and Trust Company, Pittsfield, IL February 13, 2009
Riverside Bank of the Gulf Coast, Cape Coral, FL February 13, 2009
Sherman County Bank, Loup City, NE February 13, 2009
County Bank, Merced, CA February 6, 2009
Alliance Bank, Culver City, CA February 6, 2009
FirstBank Financial Services, McDonough, GA February 6, 2009
Ocala National Bank, Ocala, FL January 30, 2009
Suburban Federal Savings Bank, Crofton, MD January 30, 2009
MagnetBank, Salt Lake City, UT January 30, 2009
1st Centennial Bank, Redlands, CA January 23, 2009
Bank of Clark County, Vancouver, WA January 16, 2009
National Bank of Commerce, Berkeley, IL January 16, 2009

Why the Stock Market May Drop to 3966

About three and a half years ago, during the Summer of 2005, which also happened to be the top of the real estate market, I sold a rental house for $629,000. A couple months ago, I found out the house went into foreclosure. A few weeks ago, I saw a Coldwell Banker for sale sign on the property. I decided to call them a week later to ask what the sales price was. I left a message with the office secretary.

A couple days later, the manager of the office called me back and said that the property had just been sold. She explained that it was a foreclosure and the bank had turned over all their local foreclosure properties to her office. She also said that she had plenty of other foreclosure properties she could offer to me.

I said to her "Can I ask what the sales price was?" and she responded "It sold for $175,000."

I was speechless. A drop from $629,000 to $175,000 is a drop of over 72% in just three and a half years!!! And what is really weird is that $175,000 is what I paid for the property 26 years ago! I still can't believe the price. I would have guessed $350,000 or maybe $275,000 at the absolute lowest.

Now for the comparison to the stock market. If we assume that the returns on the stock market may match the returns on real estate, maybe we can get an indication of where the market will go. If you look at that 72% drop in real estate, at least my real estate, then apply it to the highest level of the Dow Jones Industrial Average of 14,164 back in October 9, 2007, you would come up with a level of 3966.

By Stockerblog.com

Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Second Week of March

If you want to try the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends,' which is the technique of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend, there are many stocks to choose from. This technique generally works only in bull markets.

When you buy dividends, there are many stocks in many different sectors to choose from. In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks.

Ameren Corporation ( AEE ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 6.10%
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation ( APC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 1%
Amphenol Corporation ( APH ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 0.20%
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp ( BNI ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 2.60%
Forward Air Corporation ( FWRD ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 1.70%
Hewlett-Packard Company ( HPQ ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 1.10%
The Laclede Group, Inc. ( LG ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 3.80%
Southern Copper Corporation ( PCU ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 3.50%
Quality Systems, Inc. ( QSII ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 3%
TELUS Corporation ( TU ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 6.10%
UMB Financial Corporation ( UMBF ) Ex-dividend date: 3/9/09 Yield: 1.80%
Legg Mason, Inc. ( LM ) Ex-dividend date: 3/10/09 Yield: 7%
MDU Resources Group, Inc. ( MDU ) Ex-dividend date: 3/10/09 Yield: 4.10%
Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. ( PTEN ) Ex-dividend date: 3/10/09 Yield: 2.30%
Automatic Data Processing ( ADP ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 3.80%
Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited ( AEM ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 0.40%
Airgas, Inc. ( ARG ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 2%
The Black & Decker Corporation ( BDK ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 7%
BRE Properties, Inc. ( BRE ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 10.80%
BancorpSouth, Inc. ( BXS ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 4.80%
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. ( CCE ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 2.30%
Corus Entertainment Inc. ( CJR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 4.50%
Comerica Incorporated ( CMA ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 1.30%
The Corporate Executive Board ( EXBD ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 11.50%
Family Dollar Stores, Inc. ( FDO ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 2.00%
Johnson Controls, Inc. ( JCI ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 4.30%
New Jersey Resources Corporation ( NJR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 3.40%
Owens & Minor, Inc. ( OMI ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 2.60%
Smith International, Inc. ( SII ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 2.30%
Shaw Communications Inc. ( SJR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 4.40%
United Bankshares, Inc. ( UBSI ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 7.20%
UniFirst Corporation ( UNF ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 0.60%
Williams Companies, Inc. ( WMB ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 3.70%
XL Capital Ltd. ( XL ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 11.30%
NYSE Euronext ( NYX ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 7%
KBR, Inc. ( KBR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/11/09 Yield: 1.50%
BJ Services Company ( BJS ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 2.10%
Fidelity National Information Services ( FIS ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 1.10%
CAE, Inc. ( CGT ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 1.80%
EnCana Corporation ( ECA ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 4.20%
Equity Residential ( EQR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 9.90%
First Citizens BancShares Inc. ( FCNCA ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 1.10%
Mercury General Corporation ( MCY ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 8.30%
Nalco Holding Company ( NLC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 1.20%
Telephone & Data Systems, Inc. ( TDS ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 1.40%
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. ( TROW ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 4.10%
UGI Corporation ( UGI ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 3.20%
Huntsman Corporation ( HUN ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 17.80%
Validus Holdings, Ltd. ( VR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/12/09 Yield: 3.40%
AMETEK, Inc. ( AME ) Ex-dividend date: 3/13/09 Yield: 0.90%
Gamco Investors Inc. ( GBL ) Ex-dividend date: 3/13/09 Yield: 0.40%
Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. ( HRC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/13/09 Yield: 3.70%
The Men's Wearhouse, Inc. ( MW ) Ex-dividend date: 3/13/09 Yield: 2.60%
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. ( FNF ) Ex-dividend date: 3/13/09 Yield: 3.40%
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. ( BR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/13/09 Yield: 1.80%
Hillenbrand, Inc. ( HI ) Ex-dividend date: 3/13/09 Yield: 4.20%

If you like dividend stocks, you should check out the the high yield utility stocks and the Monthly Dividend Stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com or WSNN.com. For more details on dividend definitions, check out definitions of dividend dates. Don't forget to reconfirm the ex-dividend date with the company before implementing this technique.

Author does not own any of the above at the time this article is written.

By Stockerblog.com

The Rick Santelli Rant

Most of you have seen the rant, but in case you haven't, here it is, courtesy of YouTube:

GM Loses $105 Million per Day

The earnings report for General Motors (GM) came out, and it turns out that for their fourth quarter, they lost $105 million per day, or $9.6 billion for the quarter. Their loss for the year was $30.9 billion. Isn't that about the amount that they are asking for in total as part of their bailout?

BTW, if you missed the article on General Motors Asking for $51 per Share, you should check it out.

Author does not own any of the above.

Carl Icahn Buying More Lions Gate

Carl Icahn, the noted activist trader, has purchased 200,000 shares of Lions Gate (LGF), adding to his large position. He now owns 16,740,849 shares of the company, or over 14% of the shares outstanding. Lions Gate trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

3 Free Unnecessary iPhone Apps You Don't Need (but are fun)

The investors that are sitting on the sidelines that have a lot of free time on their hands might want to consider downloading the following three fun apps to their Apple (AAPL) iPhone:

Lie Detector
Yes this is a genuine lie detector "based on the same advanced voice analysis technology used by CIA and FBI." You ask a couple questions of the victim that you know will be answered honestly which establishes a baseline. Then you ask a question that you think might get a lie as a response. If the number you get is much lower than the baseline, then it is probably a line.

3D Fireworks Lite
If you want your own private fireworks show, with the sound effect, download 3D Fireworks Lite.

Stun-O-Matic
Last but not least, is the Stun-O-Matic which turns your iPhone into a Taser gun, with buzzing, vibrating, and seeing electric sparks on your screen. (Sorry, it doesn't actually shock.)

To find the above, all you have to do is click on App Store and search by the name of the app.

iPhone owners should also check out Free Stuff for Stock Traders, iPhone Tips for Stock Traders, and Toss your Cookies on Your iPhone.

By Stockerblog.com

Canadian Oil Royalty Trusts: Oil and High Yield Plays

If you think the price of oil is heading back up, but you want high income for protection, you should consider Canadian Oil Royalty Trusts. These Canadian Income Trusts, also known as Canadian Oil Income Trusts or Canadian Royalty Trusts pay a very high income. The trusts pass through all their earnings and deductions from oil and gas wells to the trust holders, similar to real estate investment trusts. There is no taxation at the corporate level since they are structured as trusts. Also, a portion of the dividends may be non-taxable due to depletion and depreciation deductions.
You should be aware that the Canadian government came out with a plan to tax all Canadian trusts at the corporate level beginning in the year 2011. However, the average yield from Canadian trusts is still higher than the U.S. royalty trusts. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com recently came out with an updated database list of Canadian Oil Royalty Trusts. Below is a list of some of the Canadian Royalty Trusts that are traded on United States stock exchanges.
Some of these have extremely high yields which may not be sustainable, but even if they are cut to a third, the yields would still be high.

Pengrowth Energy (PGH) has been paying dividends since July 2004. The stock has a P/E of 7, with a yield of 25.3%.

Provident Energy Trust (PVX), has been paying monthly dividends since October 2002, has a PE of 4 and pays a yield of 16.2%.

Advantage Energy Income (AAV), has paid dividends since April 2004. The stock has a PE of 4 and a yield of 33.5%.

To get an Excel database list of all the US-traded Canadian Income Trusts, which you can download and sort, go to WSNN.com.

Author does not own any of the above. Please note: these very high yields may not be sustainable.

By Stockerblog.com

Stanford Financial is Looking for a Few Good Financial Advisors

The web site for Stanford Financial, headed by Sir Allen Stanford who is currently under investigation, has a career section where they describe why it is advantageous to work for Stanford: "a rich culture and unique environment in which to do business", " the caliber of our leadership", and "Stanford is simply different". This site, or at least this page, might not be posted for much longer.

Freida Pinto Stock Index

Freida Pinto is the starring actress in the Academy Award winning motion picture "Slumdog Millionaire". This was the first movie for this Indian actress and professional model. She won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

The following are publicly traded companies that are connected to Freida Pinto:

News Corp. (NWS-A) Fox Searchight Pictures 20th Century Fox Distributor of Slumdog Millionaire
Time Warner (TWX) Warner Bros. Distributor of Slumdog Millionaire
Volkswagen Group (VLKAY.PK) Škoda Automobile TV commercial
Vodafone (VOD) print campaign for Vodafone Essar Hutch cellphones, 52% owned by Vodaphone
Anglo American plc (AAUK) De Beers magazine advertising
eBay (EBAY) print ad for eBay
VISA (VISA) magazine ads for VISA cards

The Freida Pinto Stock Index was down only 11.9% from the beginning of the year versus the Dow Jones Industrial Average which was down 16.1%.

Don't forget to check out the stock indexes of other actresses and models:
Heidi Klum Stock Index
Gisele Bundchen Stock Index
Eva Longoria Stock Index
Jessica Alba Stock Index
Angelina Jolie Stock Indexx

Author owns TWX and EBAY.

By Stockerblog.com

Bernie Madoff Victim Map

The stuff on Madoff just keeps on coming and coming. Now there is a Bernard Madoff cluster map that shows where all his victims are located. When the map first appears on the site, it shows just the East coast. However, you can press and drag on the map to see other parts of the United States, such as California, or just type in your city and state.

Top 5 Selling Investment Books: What a Depressing Bunch of Titles

Here are the top five investment related books on Amazon in the Category of Business & Investing - Investing. Look at the titles of numbers 1, 2 and 5.

1. The Great Depression Ahead: How to Prosper in the Crash Following the Greatest Boom in History


2. Crash Proof: How to Profit From the Coming Economic Collapse (Lynn Sonberg Books)


3. Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!


4. The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing. A Book of Practical Counsel (Revised Edition)


5. The Wall Street Journal Guide to the End of Wall Street as We Know It: What You Need to Know About the Greatest Financial Crisis of Our Time--and How to Survive It

At Least One Stock Market is Going Up

The Zimbabwe Stock Market has converted their trading shares to be denominated in US dollars instead of Zimbabwe dollars. Shares are expected to increase by over 100% by the end of the year. The change in currency is due to the fact that the country is experiencing 89.7 sextillion percent and there are 12.6 trillion Zimbabwe dollars to the U.S. dollar.

For more info on Zimbabwe's unbelievable inflation, check out:

100,000% Inflation Rate + Election Dispute = Rising Stock Market

Zimbabwe Inflation Breaks Above 11,200,000%

The 100,000,000,000,000 Dollar Bill (that's $100 trillion)

Guest Article: Green in a Recession

By Andrew S. Winston,
Author of Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage

"Do you think this green thing will take a back seat now that money is tight?"

I now hear this question more than any other. Times are uncertain, so who really knows what corporate priorities will be over the next year or two? But at the risk of being dead wrong very soon, I'll venture some opinions. First, if there's a deep, prolonged recession, the green movement slows down because everything slows down. Of course some parts of the economy will lose momentum slower than others (the growth of renewable energy, for example, will likely continue but perhaps at a slower pace of growth, much like China's recent 9 percent GDP rise was oddly seen as recessionary).

Aside from the macro issues, the critical point is that delaying action on sustainability plans may be the absolute wrong thing to do for your business. Being far more efficient and effective with resources remains one of the main pillars of going green. As Dave Steiner, CEO of Fortune 200 company Waste Management, said recently, "When things are this tight, people see that it's about saving jobs and money. There's no better time to take action." This instinct to dive in head first runs counter to the visceral need to batten down the hatches and ride out the storm. But as in most recessions, the companies that have the means to invest in smart ways during down times rebound the fastest when the economy turns around.

A second pillar of green business - using the environmental lens to create new ways to design, manufacture, and provide goods and services that use drastically less resources - still generates lasting value. A sustainability focus helps companies provide customers with better products and to some extent a better life. Is there a better time for product and service innovation than when consumers and business customers are stretched thin? What business wouldn't want to create a more profitable and innovative enterprise, all while building stronger relationships with customers, employees, communities and even shareholders?

These "carrots" of profitability and innovation are important, but the fundamental forces driving the Green Wave make up a powerful "stick" as well. All five of the pressures I outline are still building, as well as the underlying natural forces such as climate change. (The planet doesn't much care whether we're in economic freefall.)

The economic recession won't stem the tide of the Green Wave. Take the issue of business-to-business pressure (or "greening the supply chain"). Wal-Mart recently assembled all its Chinese suppliers in Beijing to lay out the company's expectations and standards on environmental and social issues (see my post on this meeting here). The world's biggest company - and China's seventh-largest trading partner (ranking among countries) - made clear that noncompliant suppliers will be, in the words of CEO Lee Scott, "banned from making products for Wal-Mart." Those are tough words and don't indicate any slowdown in the company's focus on sustainability.

So the Green Wave is here to stay. The recession brings one positive development: The drop in energy prices gives companies and our economy a bit of breathing room to find efficiencies and get off of oil as fast as possible. So take advantage of the reprieve, push your people to do more with less, and innovate to set your company up for rapid growth and success when times get better. They always do.

Copyright © 2009 Andrew S. Winston co-author with Daniel C. Esty of Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage

Author Bio
Andrew S. Winston, co-author with Daniel C. Esty of Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage, advises some of the world's leading companies on how to profit from environmental thinking. He is also a highly respected and dynamic speaker, exploring the business benefits of going green with audiences around the world. Andrew's earlier career included corporate strategy at Boston Consulting Group and management positions in marketing and business development at Time Warner and MTV.

Article printed courtesy of the publicist.

Steve Jobs Autobiography

There is a rumor going around Silicon Valley that Steve Jobs, the founder and head of Apple (AAPL), is writing an autobiography. The closest book to a live story on Jobs was the unauthorized biography iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business, which Jobs had removed from all the Apple Stores.

Bill Gates Invests in Trash

The investment vehicle of Bill Gates, Cascade Investments, has invested over $500 million in the country's second largest trash collector, Republic Services (RSG). They have purchased more than 21 million shares in the company during the last seven months.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Closes at Lowest Level in 5 Years

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-A), run by noted billionaire Warren Buffett, closed at $77,000, the lowest price in over five years. It is still the highest priced share of all the stocks in the United States. Check out the article on highest priced shares at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

JetBlue Offers Ticket Refunds to Laid Off Workers

JetBlue (JBLU) is offering a special to customers who purchase flights between Feb. 1 and June 1, 2009, and lost their jobs on or after Feb. 17 of this year. They are able to get a refund for themselves and up to nine customers traveling on their reservation.

Watch Out Pepsi and Coke! Get Ready for the Cow Urine Soft Drink

Who knows how popular the cow urine soft drink will be, and if it will take market share away from Coca Cola (KO) and Pepsi (PEP). But it is expected to be distributed in India, and will include gooseberries and aloe vera. Anybody thirsty?

36 Stocks Going Ex-Dividend 1st Week of March

If you want to try the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends,' which is the technique of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend, there are 36 stocks to choose from during the first week of March. This technique generally works only in bull markets.

When you buy dividends, there are many stocks in many different sectors to choose from. In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks.

Avery Dennison Corporation ( AVY ) Ex-dividend date: 3/2/09 Yield: 7.2%
Greenhill & Co., Inc. ( GHL ) Ex-dividend date: 3/2/09 Yield: 2.6%
Suncor Energy Inc. ( SU ) Ex-dividend date: 3/2/09 Yield: 0.8%
WABCO Holdings Inc. ( WBC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/2/09 Yield: 2.2%
Regal Entertainment Group ( RGC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/3/09 Yield: 7.1%
AngloGold Ashanti Limited ( AU ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 0.4%
Bank of America Corporation ( BAC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 0.7%
Brown-Forman Corporation ( BF-B ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 2.6%
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. ( CHRW ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 2.0%
The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation ( DNB ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 1.8%
El Paso Corporation ( EP ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 2.2%
Fluor Corporation ( FLR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 1.2%
Genuine Parts Company ( GPC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 4.8%
Infinity Property and Casualty Corp. ( IPCC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 1.2%
Knight Transportation ( KNX ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 1.2%
Manitowoc Company, Inc. ( MTW ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 1.6%
Omnicare, Inc. ( OCR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 0.3%
Omnicom Group Inc. ( OMC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 2.1%
The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. ( PBG ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 3.0%
Precision Castparts Corp. ( PCP ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 0.2%
PepsiCo, Inc. ( PEP ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 3.2%
Praxair, Inc. ( PX ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 2.4%
Valley National Bancorp ( VLY ) Ex-dividend date: 3/4/09 Yield: 6.6%
Frontier Communications Corp ( FTR ) Ex-dividend date: 3/5/09 Yield: 12.3%
Hubbell Incorporated ( HUB-B ) Ex-dividend date: 3/5/09 Yield: 4.5%
NIKE, Inc. ( NKE ) Ex-dividend date: 3/5/09 Yield: 2.3%
Westlake Chemical Corporation ( WLK ) Ex-dividend date: 3/5/09 Yield: 1.5%
Becton, Dickinson and Co. ( BDX ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 1.9%
Commerce Bancshares, Inc. ( CBSH ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 2.7%
CME Group Inc. ( CME ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 2.4%
Canadian National Railway ( CNI ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 2.1%
Occidental Petroleum Corporation ( OXY ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 2.3%
Pepco Holdings, Inc. ( POM ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 6.1%
Reynolds American, Inc. ( RAI ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 9.0%
The Travelers Companies, Inc. ( TRV ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 3.0%
V.F. Corporation ( VFC ) Ex-dividend date: 3/6/09 Yield: 4.5%

If you like dividend stocks, you should check out the the high yield utility stocks and the Monthly Dividend Stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. For more details on dividend definitions, check out definitions of dividend dates. Don't forget to reconfirm the ex-dividend date with the company before implementing this technique.

Author does not own any of the above at the time this article is written.

By Stockerblog.com

General Motors Asking for $51 per Share

General Motors (GM) may ask the Treasury Department for up to a total of $30 billion. Yet the stock only has 610.46 million shares outstanding. This works out to $51.53 per share. And the stock only trades for way less than $3 per share. What's wrong with this picture? Is my math wrong? Would you lend $30 million to someone with a $610 thousand home as collateral? Obviously, this is an apples to oranges comparison but it does give some perspective.

And why does Congress keep calling in the CEO's of banks and auto companies? Are these CEO's going to allow clawbacks of their own previous bonuses? Why doesn't the government bring in the Boards of Directors, especially the outside members of the Boards. They are supposed to be the ones in ultimate control of the companies.

And why is the government spending so much time, money, and energy on investigating steroids in baseball? Don't we have more important (financial) crises to deal with?

By Stockerblog.com

Questions and Answers for Borrowers about the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan

Borrowers Who Are Current on Their Mortgage Are Asking:

* What help is available for borrowers who stay current on their mortgage payments but have seen their homes decrease in value?

Under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, eligible borrowers who stay current on their mortgages but have been unable to refinance to lower their interest rates because their homes have decreased in value, may now have the opportunity to refinance into a 30 or 15 year, fixed rate loan. Through the program, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will allow the refinancing of mortgage loans that they hold in their portfolios or that they placed in mortgage backed securities.

* I owe more than my property is worth, do I still qualify to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

Eligible loans will now include those where the new first mortgage (including any refinancing costs) will not exceed 105% of the current market value of the property. For example, if your property is worth $200,000 but you owe $210,000 or less you may qualify. The current value of your property will be determined after you apply to refinance.

* How do I know if I am eligible?

Complete eligibility details will be announced on March 4th when the program starts. The criteria for eligibility will include having sufficient income to make the new payment and an acceptable mortgage payment history. The program is limited to loans held or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

* I have both a first and a second mortgage. Do I still qualify to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

As long as the amount due on the first mortgage is less than 105% of the value of the property, borrowers with more than one mortgage may be eligible to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. Your eligibility will depend, in part, on agreement by the lender that has your second mortgage to remain in a second position, and on your ability to meet the new payment terms on the first mortgage.

* Will refinancing lower my payments?

The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to provide creditworthy borrowers who have shown a commitment to paying their mortgage with affordable payments that are sustainable for the life of the loan. Borrowers whose mortgage interest rates are much higher than the current market rate should see an immediate reduction in their payments. Borrowers who are paying interest only, or who have a low introductory rate that will increase in the future, may not see their current payment go down if they refinance to a fixed rate. These borrowers, however, could save a great deal over the life of the loan. When you submit a loan application, your lender will give you a "Good Faith Estimate" that includes your new interest rate, mortgage payment and the amount that you will pay over the life of the loan. Compare this to your current loan terms. If it is not an improvement, a refinancing may not be right for you.

* What are the interest rate and other terms of this refinance offer?

The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to provide borrowers with a safe loan program with a fixed, affordable payment. All loans refinanced under the plan will have a 30 or 15 year term with a fixed interest rate. The rate will be based on market rates in effect at the time of the refinance and any associated points and fees quoted by the lender. Interest rates may vary across lenders and over time as market rates adjust. The refinanced loans will have no prepayment penalties or balloon notes.

* Will refinancing reduce the amount that I owe on my loan?

No. The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to help borrowers refinance into safer, more affordable fixed rate loans. Refinancing will not reduce the amount you owe to the first mortgage holder or any other debt you owe. However, by reducing the interest rate, refinancing should save you money by reducing the amount of interest that you repay over the life of the loan.

* How do I know if my loan is owned or has been securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac?

To determine if your loan is owned or has been securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and is eligible to be refinanced, you should contact your mortgage lender after March 4, 2009.

* When can I apply?

Mortgage lenders will begin accepting applications after the details of the program are announced on March 4, 2009.

* What should I do in the meantime?

You should gather the information that you will need to provide to your lender after March 4, when the refinance program becomes available. This includes:

o information about the gross monthly income of all borrowers, including your most recent pay stubs if you receive them or documentation of income you receive from other sources
o your most recent income tax return
o information about any second mortgage on the house
o payments on each of your credit cards if you are carrying balances from month to month, and
o payments on other loans such as student loans and car loans.

Borrowers Who Are at Risk of Foreclosure Are Asking:

* What help is available for borrowers who are at risk of foreclosure either because they are behind on their mortgage or are struggling to make the payments?

The Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan offers help to borrowers who are already behind on their mortgage payments or who are struggling to keep their loans current. By providing mortgage lenders with financial incentives to modify existing first mortgages, the Treasury hopes to help as many as 3 to 4 million homeowners avoid foreclosure regardless of who owns or services the mortgage.

* Do I need to be behind on my mortgage payments to be eligible for a modification?

No. Borrowers who are struggling to stay current on their mortgage payments may be eligible if their income is not sufficient to continue to make their mortgage payments and they are at risk of imminent default. This may be due to several factors, such as a loss of income, a significant increase in expenses, or an interest rate that will reset to an unaffordable level.

* How do I know if I qualify for a payment reduction under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

In general, you may qualify for a mortgage modification if (a) you occupy your house as your primary residence; (b) your monthly mortgage payment is greater than 31% of your monthly gross income; and (c) your loan is not large enough to exceed current Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits. Final eligibility will be determined by your mortgage lender based on your financial situation and detailed guidelines that will be available on March 4, 2009.

* I do not live in the house that secures the mortgage I’d like to modify. Is this mortgage eligible for the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

No. For example, if you own a house that you use as a vacation home or that you rent out to tenants, the mortgage on that house is not eligible. If you used to live in the home but you moved out, the mortgage is not eligible. Only the mortgage on your primary residence is eligible. The mortgage lender will check to see if the dwelling is your primary residence.

* I have a mortgage on a duplex. I live in one unit and rent the other. Will I still be eligible?

Yes. Mortgages on 2, 3 and 4 unit properties are eligible as long as you live in one unit as your primary residence.

* I have two mortgages. Will the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan reduce the payments on both?

Only the first mortgage is eligible for a modification.

* I owe more than my house is worth. Will the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan reduce what I owe?

The primary objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to help borrowers avoid foreclosure by modifying troubled loans to achieve a payment the borrower can afford. Lenders are likely to lower payments mainly by reducing loan interest rates. However, the program offers incentives for principal reductions and at your lender’s discretion modifications may include upfront reductions of loan principal.

* I heard the government was providing a financial incentive to borrowers. Is that true?

Yes. To encourage borrowers who work hard to retain homeownership, the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan provides incentive payments as a borrower makes timely payments on the modified loan. The incentive will accrue on a monthly basis and will be applied directly to reduce your mortgage debt. Borrowers who pay on time for five years can have up to $5,000 applied to reduce their debt by the end of that period.

* How much will a modification cost me?

There is no cost to borrowers for a modification under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. If you wish to get assistance from a HUD-approved housing counseling agency or are referred to a counselor as a condition of the modification, you will not be charged a fee. Borrowers should beware of any organization that attempts to charge a fee for housing counseling or modification of a delinquent loan, especially if they require a fee in advance.

* Is my lender required to modify my loan?

No. Mortgage lenders participate in the program on a voluntary basis and loans are evaluated for modification on a case-by-case basis. But the government is offering substantial incentives and it is expected that most major lenders will participate.

* I'm already working with my lender / housing counselor on a loan workout. Can I still be considered for the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

Ask your lender or counselor to be considered under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.

* How do I apply for a modification under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

You may not need to do anything at this time. Most mortgage lenders will evaluate loans in their portfolio to identify borrowers who may meet the eligibility criteria. After March 4 they will send letters to potentially eligible homeowners, a process that may take several weeks. If you think you qualify for a modification and do not receive a letter within several weeks, contact your mortgage servicer or a HUD-approved housing counselor. Please be aware that servicers and counseling agencies are expected to receive an extraordinary number of calls about this program.

* What should I do in the meantime?

You should gather the information that you will need to provide to your lender on or after March 4, when the modification program becomes available. This includes

o information about the monthly gross income of your household including recent pay stubs if you receive them or documentation of income you receive from other sources
o your most recent income tax return
o information about any second mortgage on the house
o payments on each of your credit cards if you are carrying balances from month to month, and
o payments on other loans such as student loans and car loans.

* My loan is scheduled for foreclosure soon. What should I do?

Contact your mortgage servicer or credit counselor. Many mortgage lenders have expressed their intention to postpone foreclosure sales on all mortgages that may qualify for the modification in order to allow sufficient time to evaluate the borrower's eligibility.

Info courtesy of the Whitehouse.

SEC Charges Research in Motion and Four Senior Executives With Stock Option Backdating

The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday charged BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Limited (RIMM) and four of its senior executives for stock option backdating.

The SEC's complaint alleges that Ontario, Canada-based RIMM, its former Chief Financial Officer Dennis Kavelman, former Vice President of Finance Angelo Loberto, and Co-Chief Executive Officers James Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis illegally granted undisclosed, in-the-money options to RIMM executives and employees by backdating millions of stock options over an eight-year period from 1998 through 2006.

"As alleged in our complaint, RIMM and its highest level executives engaged in widespread backdating of options which provided them and other employees with millions of dollars in undisclosed compensation," said Linda Chatman Thomsen, Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement. "This enforcement action underscores the SEC's resolve to assure full and accurate disclosure to U.S. investors by foreign issuers."

Antonia Chion, Associate Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement, added, "Companies and executives who attempt to conceal their fraudulent conduct from investors and regulators will be held accountable."

The SEC's complaint alleges that the defendants made false and misleading disclosures about how RIMM priced and accounted for options. In addition, according to the complaint, the backdating violated the terms of RIMM's stock option plan and a listing requirement of the Toronto Stock Exchange. RIMM's stock is listed on both the NASDAQ Stock Market and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Specifically, the SEC's complaint alleges that Kavelman, Loberto, Balsillie and Lazaridis backdated option agreements and offer letters, which concealed the fact that the options were granted in-the-money. The complaint also alleges that Kavelman and Loberto took steps to hide the backdating from regulators, RIM's independent auditor and outside lawyer. For instance, Kavelman and Loberto usually picked low strike prices within reporting periods and in some instances avoided the lowest price so regulators would not detect the backdating. On one occasion, Kavelman asked a manager not to document improper pricing in e-mails. Kavelman wrote, "FYI, it is a major breach of protocol to be discussing (and documenting via email) using option pricing other than that allowable by the Ontario Securities Commission and the SEC in the US."

The complaint further alleges that after all four executives were aware of backdating issues that had come to light at other companies, they attended RIMM's July 2006 annual shareholder meeting where Kavelman misled investors by denying that RIMM was backdating options.

All defendants have agreed to settle this matter, without admitting or denying the allegations in the SEC's complaint, on the following terms:

RIMM consented to the entry of an order permanently enjoining it from violating the antifraud, reporting, books and records and internal controls provisions of the federal securities laws. The settlement with RIMM takes into account RIMM's cooperation during the SEC's investigation.

Kavelman and Loberto consented to an order permanently enjoining them from violating the antifraud, internal controls, books and records and misrepresentation to auditors provisions and from aiding and abetting RIM's violations of the reporting, books and records and internal controls provisions of the federal securities laws. Kavelman also consented to an order permanently enjoining him from violating the certification provision of the federal securities laws. Kavelman and Loberto agreed to be barred for a period of five years from serving as officers or directors of any issuer that has a class of securities registered with the SEC or that is required to file reports with the SEC. In addition, Kavelman and Loberto agreed to resolve an anticipated administrative proceeding by consenting to an SEC order prohibiting them from appearing or practicing before the SEC as accountants for five years.

Balsillie and Lazaridis consented to the entry of an order permanently enjoining them from violating certain antifraud provisions (specifically Sections 17(a)(2) and (3) of the Securities Act of 1933), and the internal controls and books and records provisions and from aiding and abetting RIM's violations of the reporting, books and records and internal controls provisions of the federal securities laws.

The individual defendants will pay penalties in the following amounts: $500,000 for Kavelman; $425,000 for Loberto; $350,000 for Balsillie; and $150,000 for Lazaridis. The individual defendants also agreed to disgorge the in-the-money value of backdated options they had exercised ($132,914.60 for Kavelman, $47,950.56 for Loberto, $334,250 for Balsillie and $328,300 for Lazaridis) plus interest. Their disgorgement will be deemed satisfied by their previous payment of these amounts to RIMM.

The settlements in the civil injunctive action are subject to the approval of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

On Feb. 5, 2009, the Ontario Securities Commission brought a related settled action against RIM, Balsillie, Lazaridis, Kavelman, Loberto and certain other directors which included the total payment in Canadian dollars of $76.85 million and other sanctions. The SEC acknowledges the assistance of the Ontario Securities Commission in this matter.

Info courtesy of the SEC.

A Solar Powered Cell Phone

TradingGoddess discovered a solar powered recycled cell phone. Samsung (SSNLF.PK), which trades on the Pink Sheets in the US, came out with a cell phone that has a solar panel on the back and is made from recycled plastic. Thanks TG.

Guest Article: Where is the Bottom in the Dow? Does it matter?

Today we looking at trends and how important they are in trading.

In particular, we’re going to be looking at the DOW (DJI) and how it has continued to trend since June of ‘08.

I have watched with amusement, as several “GURUs” have been trying to pick a bottom in this index. As I have stated many time before, it’s not over till it’s over and trying to pick bottoms is not a smart thing to do.

The negative trend for the DOW is intact and remains in place. In this new video, I will share with you a simple trick that will help you to avoid the temptation of trying to pick a bottom. In fact, I will show you step-by-step why the DOW is still in a negative trend.

The video is free of charge and there is no need to register to watch this short educational trading video.

http://www.ino.com/info/294/CD3111/&dp=0&l=0&campaignid=3

All the best,

Adam Hewison
President, INO.com
Co-creator, MarketClub

SEC Charges R. Allen Stanford, Stanford International Bank for Multi-Billion Dollar Investment Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Robert Allen Stanford and three of his companies for orchestrating a fraudulent, multi-billion dollar investment scheme centering on an $8 billion CD program.

Stanford's companies include Antiguan-based Stanford International Bank (SIB), Houston-based broker-dealer and investment adviser Stanford Group Company (SGC), and investment adviser Stanford Capital Management. The SEC also charged SIB chief financial officer James Davis as well as Laura Pendergest-Holt, chief investment officer of Stanford Financial Group (SFG), in the enforcement action.

Pursuant to the SEC's request for emergency relief for the benefit of defrauded investors, U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor entered a temporary restraining order, froze the defendants' assets, and appointed a receiver to marshal those assets.

"As we allege in our complaint, Stanford and the close circle of family and friends with whom he runs his businesses perpetrated a massive fraud based on false promises and fabricated historical return data to prey on investors," said Linda Chatman Thomsen, Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement. "We are moving quickly and decisively in this enforcement action to stop this fraudulent conduct and preserve assets for investors."

Rose Romero, Regional Director of the SEC's Fort Worth Regional Office, added, "We are alleging a fraud of shocking magnitude that has spread its tentacles throughout the world."

The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in Dallas, alleges that acting through a network of SGC financial advisers, SIB has sold approximately $8 billion of so-called "certificates of deposit" to investors by promising improbable and unsubstantiated high interest rates. These rates were supposedly earned through SIB's unique investment strategy, which purportedly allowed the bank to achieve double-digit returns on its investments for the past 15 years.

According to the SEC's complaint, the defendants have misrepresented to CD purchasers that their deposits are safe, falsely claiming that the bank re-invests client funds primarily in "liquid" financial instruments (the portfolio); monitors the portfolio through a team of 20-plus analysts; and is subject to yearly audits by Antiguan regulators. Recently, as the market absorbed the news of Bernard Madoff's massive Ponzi scheme, SIB attempted to calm its own investors by falsely claiming the bank has no "direct or indirect" exposure to the Madoff scheme.

According to the SEC's complaint, SIB is operated by a close circle of Stanford's family and friends. SIB's investment committee, responsible for the management of the bank's multi-billion dollar portfolio of assets, is comprised of Stanford; Stanford's father who resides in Mexia, Texas; another Mexia resident with business experience in cattle ranching and car sales; Pendergest-Holt, who prior to joining SFG had no financial services or securities industry experience; and Davis, who was Stanford's college roommate.

The SEC's complaint also alleges an additional scheme relating to $1.2 billion in sales by SGC advisers of a proprietary mutual fund wrap program, called Stanford Allocation Strategy (SAS), by using materially false historical performance data. According to the complaint, the false data helped SGC grow the SAS program from less than $10 million in 2004 to more than $1 billion, generating fees for SGC (and ultimately Stanford) of approximately $25 million in 2007 and 2008. The fraudulent SAS performance was used to recruit registered investment advisers with significant books of business, who were then heavily incentivized to reallocate their clients' assets to SIB's CD program.

The SEC's complaint charges violations of the anti-fraud provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Advisers Act, and registration provisions of the Investment Company Act. In addition to emergency and interim relief that has been obtained, the SEC seeks a final judgment permanently enjoining the defendants from future violations of the relevant provisions of the federal securities laws and ordering them to pay financial penalties and disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest.

The Commission acknowledges the assistance and cooperation of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in connection with this matter.

The SEC's investigation is continuing. FINRA independently developed information through its examination and investigative processes that contributed significantly to the filing of this enforcement action.

Info courtesy of the SEC.

How Many NYSE Stocks Trade Below $1 per Share?

Here's a trivia question for you. How Many NYSE Stocks Trade Below $1 per Share?
a. zero
b. 7
c. 12
d. 90

The answer is d. 90. Yes, there are actually 90 New York Stock Exchange stocks that trade for less than a dollar a share. Here are a few examples:

Rite Aid Corp. (RAD) 28 cents
Six Flags, Inc. (SIX) 31 cents
Pier 1 Imports Inc. (PIR) 32 cents
Vonage Holdings Corporation (VG) 41 cents
Borders Group, Inc. (BGP) 54 cents
Unisys Corp. (UIS) 69 cents
Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR) 70 cents

If you like cheap stocks, check out below book high yield stocks and stocks selling below cash per share at wsnn.com.

Author does not own any of the above. No recommendation expressed or implied.

Microsoft Goes Retail

In a major copycat of Apple (AAPL) move, Microsoft (MSFT) has decided to open retail outlets to sell software and computers with Microsoft software already installed. The retail division will be run by David Porter, a former executive with Wal-Mart (WMT).

Book Review: Life Under the Corporate Microscope: A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective by Larry Underwood

There are thousands of books written about thousands of publicly traded companies. This is probably due to the fact that much of the info on these companies is a matter of public record. But when it comes to private companies, it is rare to find info on large privately held companies. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the largest rental car company in North America, and is the 16th largest private company in the United States, according to Forbes. Larry Underwood, the author of Life Under the Corporate Microscope: A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective, gives an exceptional and extraordinary account of his career with Enterprise, and a unique insight into how large companies operate, especially the private ones, and primarily this one.

This is a guy who started out as a grunt, working behind the counter renting cars to people, who worked his way up the corporate ladder, eventually becoming a multimillionaire earning almost $4 million per year, and retiring before the age of 49, thanks to the unique compensation arrangement at Enterprise. And the amazing thing was, Underwood never even reached the rank of President.

Underwood gives the reader his very opinionated views of how corporations should be run and what the best management style is. Here is just one of his recommendations.

"The fact that the three top guys didn't quite have everything figured out, except for the fact that they wanted to make me General Manager, exemplifies the gold old fashioned "fly by the seat of your pants" business plans that entrepreneurial companies put together. As far as I was concerned, that way of doing business suited me just fine; it seemed to me that the people who were most successful in the company weren't afraid to make a few mistakes along the way; they always seemed to have a backup plan ready to go, and eventually, things usually worked out just fine."

The book is filled with humor, with hilarity on every other page. Underwood used humor extensively when he was on the job and fortunately his sense of humor was still intact when he wrote the book. If you don't laugh by the time you reach the bottom of page 16, then it means that you are probably offended by the earthy and course language used throughout. In this time of economic stress and gloominess, we can use a little humor; as a matter of fact, we could use a lot of humor. At an annual rental managers meeting, he discusses how all the Enterprise city managers were required to give a short speech.

"Actually nobody I talked to thought this was such a good idea; and in fact, many of the future orators were so nervous, the supply of toilet paper in St. Louis suddenly became dangerously low."

If you are planning on working for a large corporation, if you are currently working up the corporate ranks, if you run a corporation, or if you just want a page-turner about life in the big private corporate world, then Life Under the Corporate Microscope: A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective is for you.

List of Bernard Madoff's Clients

The New York Times has posted a list of all of the so far known clients of Bernie Madoff. The list is updated on a regular basis.

Don't forget to check out the article on the Bernie Madoff Postage Stamps.

Bernie Madoff Postage Stamps (yes they are genuine)

Now I've seen everything. There are now genuine United States postage stamps with a picture of Bernard Madoff on them, that can actually be used to send mail. Madoff is the money manager who has been accused of a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. The stamps were created by a customer of Zazzle, which allows the personalization of postage stamps for a fee above the basic postage.

Don't forget to check out the article on the Bernie Madoff related suicides.

Second Death Connection to Madoff

Previously in December, we had written about a money manager who had invested $1 billion with Bernie Madoff and had committed suicide. Now a noted British Army veteran who reportedly lost his life savings investing in hedge funds that invested in Madoff's fund has committed suicide by gunshot.

Did you see the New York Times list of Madoff clients?

Donald Trump Fires Himself

Donald Trump is resigning from the Board of Directors of Trump Entertainment Resorts (TRMP) along with his daughter Ivanka Trump, since the bondholders refused his offer to buy out the company.

Eight Houses for Sale Across the US for $100 Each

It may be hard to believe, but Zillow is listing eight houses for sale at a reasonable price of only $100. And yes, there is even one in California and two in Florida.

Here are some of the cheapest houses in the country according to Zillow.

Michigan

Colorado (5 bedroom, 4.5 bath, 3400 sq ft)

Texas ( 5 bed, 3.5 bath)

California

Ohio

Illinois

Florida

Florida

Amazon Offering Free MP3 Downloads

In a very innovative move, the leading online retailer Amazon (AMZN) is offering a free "Let's Get it On" by Marvin Gaye MP3 download as a special for Valentines Day. This offer is good only for Friday 2/13/09, and Saturday 2/14/09. If you want to take advantage of this offer, you can click on the link below:

Autism Stocks

Autism is considered to be a developmental disability that results from a disorder of the brain and central nervous system impairing social interaction, communication, and other activities. A U.S. court just ruled that autism is not connected to vaccines, saying that there is no scientific evidence that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine caused autism in children. In addition, some families sued Kaiser Foundation Health Plan accusing them of discriminating against children with autism. With all the news about autism, investors are looking closely at the pharmaceutical stocks. There are several publicly traded pharmaceutical companies that make drugs for treating the autism related disorders and symptoms.

Risperidal, developed and distributed by Janssen Pharmaceutica, a division of the New York Stock Exchange traded company Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), is an antipsychotic medication that is used in lower doses to treat autistic disorders and has FDA approval for use of the drug for symptomatic treatment of irritability in autistic children and teenagers, since 2006. The stock has a PE ratio of 13 and pays a yield of 3.2%.

Prozac, with the chemical name fluoxetine hydrochloride, is made by Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), also traded on the NYSE, and has been approved by the FDA for both obsessive compulsive disorder and depression in autistic children age 7 and older. The company recently generated negative earnings and pays a yield of 5.3%.

Ritalin and the time-release drug, Concerta, is a Methylphenidate drug which, although generally used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, and attention-deficit disorder, or ADD, has also been prescribed for children with autism. It is produced by the company Novartis AG (NVS), the ADR of which trades on the NYSE; however, the generic version of the drug far outsells Ritalin. The stock has a PE ratio of 12 and pays a yield of 4.1%.

Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a division of Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA), is a manufacturer of Adderall XR, an extended-release drug which is used to help with attention and focus problems, and behavior issues of individuals with autism. Teva has a PE of 19 and a yield of 0.9%.

Shire plc (SHPGY) makes Adderall XR, an extended-release version of the drug. The stock has a PE of 38 and a yield of 0.3%.

For an Excel database of drug stocks that can be downloaded, changed, and sorted, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author has a nephew who is severely autistic and does not own any of the above stocks.

World's Smallest Car

Talk about small! Is this the new competition for General Motors (GM) and Ford (F)? The car is the Peel P-50, only 53 inches long and weighs less than 130 pounds.

Valentines Day Stocks

February 14 is Valentine's Day, so if you haven't done the shopping for your sweetheart, then you better get started. How about a gift of some shares in companies that may participate in sales of Valentines Day related products. Here are some stocks that can benefit from from this popular day, including chocolate, flowers, jewelry, greeting cards, and gift wrap.

Hershey (HSY), founded in 1894, is the largest manufacturer of chocolate in North America and one of the largest chocolate and candy companies in the world. Hershey's Kisses were invented in 1901. Hershey chocolate chips were introduced in 1928. The stock has a P/E of 27, with a favorable yield of 3.2%.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. (RMCF) is a very low cap stock [and should therefore be considered very speculative], based in Durango, Colorado, which makes and markets caramels, creams, mints, and truffles. The company, which was founded in 1981, has over 300 franchise locations in 40 states, along with Canada and the United Arab Emirates. The P/E is 11, and their yield is 5.2%. This is a very low cap stock and should be considered very speculative.

1-800-Flowers.com Inc. (FLWS), the largest publicly traded flower seller, also sells plants, gourmet foods, cookies, cakes, candies, wine, gift baskets, and other gifts. They recently generated negative earnings. This is a low cap stock and should be considered very speculative.

Tiffany & Co. (TIF), founded in 1837, is one of the top jewelry companies in the world, with over 60 U.S. stores and over 100 international locations. The metric carat as a weight standard for gems was developed by a Tiffany gemologist. The New York City flagship store is home to the 128-carat Fancy Yellow Tiffany Diamond. The stock has a PE of 10, and a yield of 3%.

Blue Nile Inc. (NILE), founded in 1999, is a leading web based retailer of diamonds and fine jewelry, and the largest online retailer of certified diamonds. The stock has a PE of 24.

A couple other jewelry companies are Signet Group plc (SIG), with a PEG of 1, and Zale Corporation (ZLC) which recently generated negative earnings. These are very low cap stocks and should be considered very speculative.

American Greetings Corp. (AM), founded in 1906 and based in Cleveland, Ohio, is the largest publicly-traded greeting card company in the world. The stock has recently generated negative earnings and a yield of 8.5%.

CSS Industries Inc. (CSS) markets gift wrap, gift bags, boxed greeting cards, gift tags, tissue paper, decorations, and decorative ribbons and bows. The stock has a PE of 10, and a yield of 3.6%.

Don't forget to check out diamond and jewelry stocks and chocolate stocks.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Where Can You Get Gas for 5 cents a Gallon at the Pump

In Amsterdam, of course. A software glitch let to a drop in price at the pump at a gas station to 5 cents a gallon. People were lined up to fill their tanks.

Book Review: The Love Me Tender Years Diary by Elvis Presley's Personal Secretary

Although this book may not be investment related, unless you consider Elvis Presley memorabilia as investments, I thought it would be worth writing about as I am an Elvis Presley fan and the book has a very unique perspective. This book is called The Love Me Tender Years Diary written by Trude Forsher and compiled by her son James Forsher. You cant get much closer to Elvis that being his personal secretary, and that is who Trude Forsher was. She worked for Elvis and Col. Tom Parker during the late 1950's when Elvis was making his quantum leap from being just successful to becoming a worldwide superstar.

Trude Forsher gives a truly exceptional and exclusive insight into both the personal and business life of Elvis, and the anecdotes are backed up throughout the book with photos of actual letters and handwritten notes she received from both Elvis and the Colonel, along with photographs of her and The King. Numerous aspects of Presley's personality are contained in the book, including his sense of humor. (e.g. a fake mouse in a mousetrap, left by Trude's desk). She also provides extensive coverage of Presley's transition to the motion picture industry.

If there are any Elvis Presley fans out there who want to learn about aspects of his life that have not been provided elsewhere, then I highly recommend that you get The Love Me Tender Years Diary.

Is This a Japanese Madoff?

Many Japanese investors were promised 36% on their money by Kazutsugi Nami, head of a Japanese bedding supplier company. He was able to take in over $1 billion. The scam was called "yen from heaven."

President of Salesforce.com Left the Company

The president of Salesforce.com (CRM), Steve Cakebread, resigned on Feb. 1 for personal reasons. The company also laid off Gary Hanna, executive vice president for enterprise sales, according to Reuters.

Steve Jobs Leaves Work, Steve Wozniak Comes Back to Work

By now, everyone knows that Steve Jobs has taken a medical leave of absence from Apple Inc. (AAPL). But the other founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, who has been semi-retired, has become the chief scientist at Fusion-io. Fusion-io produces solid state memory devices.

High Yield Stocks with No Debt

With the extreme ups and downs in the stock market these days, investors are looking for high dividends in order to provide some stability and income. However, for safety, investors also want companies that have no debt. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com came up with a list of 35 different debt free stocks with dividends over 4%. Most of these stocks have price earnings ratios below 18 and price earnings to growth ratios below 1.8. WSNN.com also has other interesting lists such as stocks selling below cash.

Some of the debt free stocks with decent yields include the following. Remember, all these yields are subject to change, reduction, and elimination.

Nordic American Tanker Shipping Ltd. (NAT), the crude oil tanker company, which has a yield of 22% based on historical dividend payments. The stock has a PE of 9%.

Biovail Corporation (BVF) is a pharmaceutical company that yields 13.3%. They have a PE of 38 and a PEG of 1.37.

Terra Nitrogen Company, L.P. (TNH) is a stock that is structured as a limited partnership, and yields 8.8%. They are a distributor of nitrogen fertilizer products. The PE ratio is 8.

Computer Programs & Systems Inc. (CPSI) makes and sells computerized information systems for hospitals. They yield 5.3% with a PE of 19, and a PEG of 1.39.

To access the entire Excel database of the 35 different high yield debt free stocks, some with yields over 15%, that can be downloaded, changed, and sorted, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Ride Change at Disneyland: It's a Commercial World After All

Disney (DIS), which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, is making some change on a ride for the first time. The ride It's a Small World will now be adding some additional Disney characters singing along with all the other original characters. Also, some additional Disney music will be added.

Bill Gates Releases Mosquitoes at Conference

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft (MSFT) released a jar of mosquitoes at a conference to spread the word about malaria.

Bernie Madoff Toilet Paper

For the Madoff investor who has everything, or maybe nothing, you may want to consider the Bernard Madoff toilet paper, offered by justtoiletpaper.com. This is probably the only way of ripping off Madoff.

Federally Approved Stem Cell Therapy: Time to Look at Stem Cell Stocks

Since President Obama has decided to repeal the limitations imposed on embryonic stem cell research, and since the first federally approved human study utilizing embryonic stem cell therapy is now taking place, investors are now looking at opportunities in stem cell stocks. Extensive research is being done to utilize stem cells for gene therapy and the treatment of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and many other medical conditions.

A source of stem cells is cord blood, the blood from an umbilical cord. The saving and storing of cord blood has become a fast growing business. For example, Richard Branson, founder and head of Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic Airways, set up a cord blood bank. Even Stem Cell Bonds were issued by the state of California last year. Also, the National Institute of Health has discovered that strong stem cells can be found in baby teeth.

Here are several stocks, which are pure plays or semi-pure plays in the stem cell business.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) is a Connecticut based company with a $2.9 billion market cap that is involved in the development of biologic therapeutic products for the treatment of hematologic and cardiovascular disorders, auto-immune diseases, and cancer. The stock has a forward PE of 444.

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals (ARIA) is a Massachusetts based company, with a $150 million market cap, that is involved in the development of treatments for cancer by using small molecules to regulate cell signaling. Their cancer products are used to treat solid tumors, sarcomas, hormone refractory prostate cancer, and endometrial cancer. The stock has generated negative earnings of $1.01 per share. It is a low cap stock and should be considered very speculative.

Celera Group (CRA) is a company that was founded in 1937. It is involved in the research of new diagnostic markers, using proprietary genomics and proteomics discovery procedures and diagnostic products. Some of their products are used for the detection of HIV, hepatitis C, and cystic fibrosis. They are in collaboration with Abbott Laboratories (ABT), Genentech (DNA), and General Electric (GE). The stock has generated negative earnings.

Cellgene (CELG) is a $24 billion market cap company involved in the discovery and production, of therapies designed to treat cancer and immune-inflammatory-related diseases. One of their main products is Thalomid, which is used for the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum, a complication of leprosy. They also received patent on placental stem cell recovery. The stock has recently generated negative earnings.

Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. (CYTX) is a $125 million market cap company that makes and markets regenerative medicine medical technologies. They have recently generated negative earnings. This is a low cap stock and should be considered very speculative.

Dendreon Corporation (DNDN) This $358 million market cap company is involved in the discovery, development, and sales of active immunotherapies, monoclonal antibodies, and small molecule product candidates to treat cancer. They also manufacture the DACSÒSC stem cell enrichment device. The stock has had negative earnings.

Geron (GERN) is a Menlo Park, California based $600 million market cap company which develops cell-based therapies derived from human embryonic stem cells used for the treatment of various diseases and medical conditions such as spinal cord damage, heart failure, and diabetes. They have the first federally approved human study utilizing embryonic stem cell therapy. The stock has had negative earnings.

Integra Lifesciences Holdings (IART) is a New Jersey based $781 million market cap company that develops, manufactures, and sells medical devices, implants, biomaterials, and instruments to the stem cell, surgery, and soft tissue repair markets. Their P/E is 40, and the PEG is 1.01.

Invitrogen Corporation (IVGN) is a California based $3.3 billion market cap company which sells products and services to research institutions, pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies, including tools for gene acquisition, gene cloning, and gene analysis techniques. The stock has a P/E of 52.

Neuralstem Inc. (CUR) is a $52 million market cap company that develops and markets human neural stem cell technology. They have recently generated negative earnings. This is an extremely low cap stock and should be considered extremely speculative.

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (OSIR) is a $660 million market cap company, which markets stem cell products from adult bone marrow. They have recently generated negative earnings.

StemCells Inc. (STEM) is a $195 market cap company involved in the development, and marketing of cell-based therapeutics to treat liver diseases and diseases of the central nervous system. They have recently generated negative earnings. This is a low cap stock and should be considered very speculative.

For an Excel database of stem cell stocks which you can download, sort, and change, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Also, check out gene therapy stocks and cord blood stocks

Author does not own any of the above.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Guest Article: Green - The Secret to Resurrecting Your Nest Egg in 2009

Green: The Secret to Resurrecting Your Nest Egg in 2009.
By Natalie Pace, author of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is: Investment Strategies for Lifetime Wealth from a #1 Wall Street Stock Picker
Date: January 27, 2009

Did you know that clean energy was the top performing industry in 2007, returning almost sixty cents on the dollar for investors? That was almost double the returns of the 2nd highest performing industry -- oil and gas -- at 32 cents for each dollar invested. And, thanks to President Obama’s American Reinvestment and Recovery Plan, clean energy is poised to be the top performer again in 2009.

In his first White House blog, dated January 24, 2009, President Obama wrote that his Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will “invest in our most important priorities like energy and education.” The details of the plan, which President Obama is currently lobbying with Congressional members, is available online at WhiteHouse.gov and includes the following target expenditures:

Recovery and Reinvestment Plan of 2009
1. Create or save three to four million jobs over the next two years “in a range of industries from clean energy to health care”
2. Launch a Clean Energy Finance Initiative to leverage $100 billion in private sector clean energy investments over three years
3. Double renewable energy generating capacity over three years
4. Modernize “more than 75% of federal building space, saving taxpayers $2 billion per year in lower federal energy bills”
5. Modernize 10,000 schools

Now, for those who are skeptical of Washington’s ability to get anything done before the next Ice Age, returns on green investing are not just dependent upon the President’s ability to win votes with Congress. There is a worldwide push for clean energy. In fact, Europe, Eastern Europe and China are far more proactive about greening their grid than the U.S.

Germany was one of the first countries to embrace solar energy with its “family program.” Solar panels were installed on many homes in that country over the last five years. Germany’s team, Technische Universität Darmstadt, even won the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon competition in 2007! The next Solar Decathlon will be held on the Washington Mall in Washington D.C. October 9 through 18, 2009, where 20 international teams will compete to design and build the most attractive, energy-efficient solar-powered house.

Link:
http://www.solardecathlon.org/

China launched a new clean energy initiative, “Electric Vehicles for Ten Cities,” on January 6, 2009, which will put 1000 electric cars per year for three years in each of ten target cities. (Now if those were Tesla Roadsters, I might just move to one of those cities myself!) On Monday, January 26, 2009, the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced a plan to achieve solar energy as China’s dominant energy source by 2050. Other European and Eastern European countries are modeling Germany’s incentives to jumpstart their own clean energy plan and are committed to powering their grid with renewable energy with large-scale solar harvesting projects.

Europe, Eastern Europe and China are the biggest clean energy customers to date, accounting for the strongest sales growth in any industry on Wall Street over the past three years. Solar giants, like Suntech Power Holdings, MEMC Electronics and LDK Solar are profitable, with a strong backlog of orders and high profit margins, at 12%, 20% and 24% respectively. MEMC Electronics (a silicon manufacturer) sales were $2 billion in 2008, up from $1.5 billion in 2006. Suntech’s 2008 sales were $1.8 billion, compared to $600 million in 2006. LDK Solar’s sales have exploded from $105 million in 2007 to a projected $750 million in 2008.

On January 5, 2009, Xiaofeng Peng, Chairman and CEO of LDK Solar, reported, “Our operations remain at full capacity, with contract backlog remaining strong for 2009." The LDK Solar sales expectations for 2009 are $2.3 to $2.5 billion.

So, while most industries worldwide are contracting, and many, like real estate and banks, are showing catastrophic losses, solar energy is profitable, growing – largely on worldwide government incentives and investment -- and healthy. Electric cars and component industries, like lithium mining and lithium ion battery makers, aren’t profitable yet, but the winds are favorable for growth and government incentives worldwide as well.

There is one trick to investing green, however. As I outline in my new book, Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is, the challenge of investing in an industry that is exploding with potential and new technology innovations, is that when innovation is occurring rapidly, it’s difficult to predict a clear winner because tomorrow’s invention could create a new breakout technology. Additionally, clean energy has been around since the 1970s and some legacy corporations are carrying too much debt to compete with the new stalwarts, many of which are based out of China. For these reasons, a clean energy Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), which owns a basket of clean energy companies, is a better policy for most investors than picking an individual stock.

4 Key Steps to Adding Green to your Nest Egg:

1. Include a Green ETF as one of 10 diversified Exchange Traded Funds in your nest egg.
2. Keep a percent equal to your age, plus 15-20%, SAFE, i.e. not invested in the stock market, since we’re in a recession.
3. The safest place for your money in 2009 is Treasury bills and high rated bonds.
4. Rebalance twice a year to capture gains and buy into underperforming ETFs.

Remember to “overweight” 20% safe in 2009, since we’re in a recession, keeping 70% safe if you are 50, and 50% safe if you are 30, etc.

For more nest egg strategies that work in bull and bear markets, buy and read my new book, Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is.

About Natalie Pace:
Natalie Pace, is the author of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is: Investment Strategies for Lifetime Wealth from a #1 Wall Street Stock Picker, a featured teacher in the movie, Spiritual Liberation, and CEO of one of the most respected, independently owned financial news corporations in the U.S. She has been ranked as a #1 stock picker from TipsTraders.com and has partnered content with Forbes.com, Sohu.com, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and more. She has appeared on Fox News, Good Morning America, Time Magazine, More Magazine, USA Today, NPR and national radio shows. For more information please visit, http://www.nataliepace.com.
Published with the permission of the publicist.

Super Bowl Stock Market Indicator Prediction

The Super Bowl Stock Market Indicator says that if the winning team is from the original American Football League, now the AFC, we will have a bear market. However, if the successful team had its origins with the old National Football League, now the NFC, then we are in fro a bull market. This indicator supposedly works more than three quarters of the time.

But for this year, both the winning team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and their opponents, the Arizona Cardinals, have NFL origins. That means that we are having a bull market this year, no matter who had won.

Stocks of Super Bowl Advertisers Part 3

Priceline.com (PCLN)

Overstock.com (OSTK)

Chevron Corporation (CVX)

Progressive Corporation (PGR)

Coca Cola (KO)

Denny's (DENN)

Stocks of Super Bowl Advertisers Part 2

Gannett Company, Inc. (GCI) Cars.com

E*TRADE Financial Corporation (ETFC)

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) Monsters v. Alien movie

News Corp. (NWS-A) & General Electric Co. (GE) Hulu.com

Walt Disney Co. (DIS) Up movie

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (MWW)

Pepsico, Inc. (PEP) Cheetos, SoBe, Gatorade

Stocks Going Ex Dividend Late February

Investors occasionally use a stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends,' which is the technique of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only in bull markets.

If you are interested in buying dividends, there are many stocks in many different industries to choose from. In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks.

PACCAR Inc (PCAR) Ex-div date: 2/17/09 P/E ratio: 8 PEG Ratio: 0.69 Yield: 2.70%
Moody's Corporation (MCO) Ex-div date: 2/18/09 P/E ratio: 11 PEG Ratio: 0.74 Yield: 1.90%
Target Corporation (TGT) Ex-div date: 2/18/09 P/E ratio: 10 PEG Ratio: 0.81 Yield: 2.10%
Main Street Capital Corporation (MAIN) Ex-div date: 2/18/09 P/E ratio: 12 PEG Ratio: 0.62 Yield: 14.90% extremely low cap, should be considered extremely speculative
Assurant, Inc. (AIZ) Ex-div date: 2/19/09 P/E ratio: 8 PEG Ratio: 0.77 Yield: 2.10%
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (MHP) Ex-div date: 2/23/09 P/E ratio: 9 PEG Ratio: 0.66 Yield: 4.10%
Crane Co. (CR) Ex-div date: 2/25/09 P/E ratio: 8 PEG Ratio: 0.83 Yield: 4.60%
iGATE Corporation (IGTE) Ex-div date: 2/25/09 P/E ratio: 8 PEG Ratio: 0.45 Yield: 2.70% low cap, should be considered very speculative
Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) Ex-div date: 2/26/09 P/E ratio: 10 PEG Ratio: 0.95 Yield: 0.80%
Tidewater Inc. (TDW) Ex-div date: 2/27/09 P/E ratio: 6 PEG Ratio: 0.48 Yield: 2.40%

For more details on dividend definitions, check out definitions of dividend dates. If you like dividend stocks, you should check out the the High Yield Utility stocks and the Monthly Dividend Stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above at the time this article is written.

By Stockerblog.com

Stocks of Super Bowl Advertisers

Stocks of companies that have ads appearing on the Super Bowl so far:

Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY)

General Electric Co. (GE) NBC, Universal Studios, Duplicity movie

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)

HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD (HYMLF.PK)

Avon Products Inc. (AVP)

McDonald's Corp. (MCD)

ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV (AHBIF.PK)

Sony Corporation (SNE) Columbia Pictures: Angels & Demons movie, Year One Movie

AUDI AG (AUDVF.PK)

Pepsico, Inc. (PEP) Pepsi, Doritos

BRIDGESTONE CORP ADR (BRDCY.PK)

BP plc (BP) Castrol