Be Audacious in Your Dreams.

by Natalie Pace.  

Report from the 2008 Milken Global Conference.
 
Imagine having access to Sam Zell and Elaine Wynn on real estate, Muhammad Yunus and Quincy Jones about saving the world, NBA star Dale Davis on investing in the inner city, Dr. Gary Becker (Nobel Laureate) on the economy – and all that before you've finished day one of a 3-day conference.  That is the world of the Milken Global Conference, and if you've missed it again this year, you might want to put a note on the calendar to register early for the 2009 Conference, which is already scheduled for April 27-29, 2009.  

You can also buy a DVD of the entire event, providing you with access to over 470 speakers and over 130 sessions.  Prices range from $29.95 for a single session to $795 for the complete event.  From "A Conversation With T. Boone Pickens" to sessions on Asia, China, Brazil, India, clean technology, alternative energy, Iraq and real estate, if you are curious about what the cutting edge policymakers, CEOs, money managers and academics think of the situation, the Milken Global Conference DVD set is sure to be Geek Paradise for you.

With a sold-out crowd of nearly 3,000, representing more than 60 countries, it was hard to walk farther than a few feet without meeting someone you were dying to speak to.  In the lobby of the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Dr. Richard Sandor, Time magazine's Hero of the Environment and the Chairman and CEO of the Chicago Climate Exchange, gushed about a Methane Emissions Offset Program he installed in the poorest region of India.  Cow manure collection tanks are able to capture methane (one of the worst greenhouse gas pollutants) and pipe the gas to the home for cooking and heating.

The best thing about this program, according to Dr. Sandor, is not just that it helps the environment by containing the methane emissions. It also frees up seven-year-old girls and boys to go to school, instead of spending all day foraging for fuel (what cow patties are in India).  For more on this and other carbon offsetting programs, go to ChicagoClimatex.org and click on Offsets.

Another inspiring and respected CEO, Dr. Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO, X PRIZE Foundation, encouraged conference participants to "be audacious in your dreams," during the first night's dinner panel.  If anything will inspire audacity it's a $30 million dollar prize. The Google Lunar X PRIZE is a $30 million competition for the first privately funded team to send a robot to the moon, travel 500 meters and transmit video, images and data back to the Earth.  10 teams have already signed up for the competition.

The Archon Genomics X Prize is offering $10 million for the first team to successfully sequence 100 human genomes in 10 days.  Professor Stephen Hawking is a supporter of this prize, in the hopes that it "can help drive breakthroughs in diseases," like the ones he suffers from.

Inspired by the $25,000 prize that focused Charles Lindbergh's attentions on flying non-stop between New York and Paris in 1927, Dr. Peter H. Diamandis created the X Prize because he strongly believes that "focused and talented teams in pursuit of a prize and acclaim can change the world."  In 1927, the $25,000 purse inspired nine teams to invest $400,00 to compete with Lindbergh in his monumental trans-Atlantic flight, an event that was one of the most popular of the time.  Between 1927 and 1929, U.S. Airline passengers increased from 5,782 in 1926 to 173,405 in 1929 - a 30-fold increase!  Dr. Diamandis hopes to inspire that kind of positive change with his $10+ million dollar prizes in fields such as Genomics, Automotive, Education, Medicine, Energy, Space and Social arenas.  

Optimism and capital solutions – using money to make the world a better place -- are at the heart of the Milken Institute's mission of improving "the lives and economic conditions of diverse populations in the U.S. and around the world by helping business and public policy leaders identify and implement innovative ideas for creating broad-based prosperity."  Mike Milken, the chairman of the economic think tank, is widely respected within the financial and academic communities as the father of high-yield bonds, one of the most important economic innovations in the history of humanity toward the democratization of capital.  Mr. Milken's bonds helped to create CNN, MTV, Las Vegas and more by empowering entrepreneurs like Ted Turner, Steve Wynn and Bob Pittman with the capital needed to "take on the big boys" and pursue their dreams.    

In fact, one Nobel Laureate I spoke to (off the record) believes that Mr. Milken will indeed be honored for this financial innovation by a major university in his lifetime.  In the meantime, Mr. Milken is kept quite busy in his role as chief inspiration officer of the Institute, founder and chairman of the Prostate Cancer Foundation and star of the show at the most important U.S. conference of the year.

So, what grand ideas were floated this year at the largest gathering of money, innovation and human capital? Dr. Gary Becker, Nobel Laureate and professor at the University of Chicago, noted that the growing inequality in income worldwide is largely a story of skill levels, rather than discrimination.  According to Dr. Becker, "The average hourly earnings of college-educated persons grew from about 40 % higher than that of high school graduates in 1980 to about 80% higher in recent years… The real have-nots in society are those with no education."

In terms of the current harsh climate in the U.S. economy, Dr. Becker predicted, "It's going to get worse, but I don't anticipate a major depression."  Unfortunately, that was about as rosy as the economic forecast got.  For more of Dr. Gary Becker's thoughts on the economy and how to navigate the troubled waters ahead, visit his blog at http://www.becker-posner-blog.com.

But the highlight of the entire three days definitely goes to one of the most talented and applauded humanitarian/entertainers of our time, Quincy Jones.  Quincy has received 27 Grammys, an Emmy and seven Academy Award nominations, but he's best known as the man who threw dozens of recording artists in a studio and produced the hit song, "We Are the World."

We are terminals for a higher power," according to Quincy.  Whether channeling that frequency for songs, for movies or for world peace, Quincy recommends that the choice is always rather simple.  "It's either fear or love," he says.  If that quip makes you wonder whether Quincy inspired Bono's lyrics, "when love walks in the room," the answer is that two "raggedy boys from Ireland and one brother from Chicago (in Quincy's words) have indeed collaborated on music and world peace, including the World Youth Foundation (an NGO of the UN), Live Aid and more.

So what happens when love, aka Quincy Jones, walks in the room of the Beijing Olympic Planning Committee?  What does he recommend the Chinese do to amaze and delight the world this summer?  "Have the Dalai Lama carry the Olympic torch into the stadium," Quincy said.    

When Quincy reported his recommendation at the Milken Conference, the Beverly Hilton ballroom guests roared with delight and a standing ovation.  In a few short months, we'll know if our International Peace Angel Quincy Jones has managed to inspire the Chinese, and the world, yet another time.  On the evening of April 28, 2008, he definitely sparked the hearts of the 3,000 people in attendance.

The 65 Million Dollar Idea.

Meet t-shirt entrepreneur Johan E. Esbensen, President, Rogue Status, AWOL, Easy Company.
 
 
Two years ago, Johan Esbensen was a sneaker salesman at Undefeated in Santa Monica, California, who had a little hobby making provocative, in-your-face t-shirts that he gave away to his friends and customers. Today he is the President of Rogue Status, a company that has the hottest growing clothing line in the world.  

Rogue Status sales jumped to two million in under two years.  Part of the thanks for that explosive growth goes to pro street skater Rob Dyrdek featuring Yo's shirts on his MTV show, Rob and Big.  However, having an MTV show doesn't explain why teens worldwide are tattooing Rogue Status and AWOL (a brother company) slogans on themselves.

I sat down with Yo on a sunny April 2008 morning at a local Venice Café over coffee.  He'd walked over from his house just up the road.  I'd driven the two blocks from my place and was feeling a bit wasteful about that.  I had recently gotten a bike (a birthday gift from my teenage son), but still haven't bought the lock needed to actually use it on a morning like that day.  Ridiculously lame excuse, really.

You see, Yo's motto is that everything is easy.  If gas is too expensive, it's just easier to ride your bike.  So stop whining and do it.  Rogue created a bike for you to buy, so there are no excuses.  You can have your fashion, your passion, your exercise, extra dough in your wallet and green transportation, too.

Now an entire sub-culture of Westside teens own bikes in Venice, and both Venice and Santa Monica, California are having to install more bike racks to accommodate the trend.  On Sundays, local Yuppies cycle down to breakfast at the Farmer's Market, or hang out to watch sports in an outdoor bar and grill.  More and more, they are riding Rogue bikes and wearing Rogue t-shirts (and underwear as well – trust me. I wash my teen's clothes).

It's a life Yo has always dreamed of, but still has trouble believing that it happened so fast and so easily.  Yo created a world where he and his friends blur the lines between work and play, called the enterprise Easy Company, and the world decided to grant him his first wish. In his mind, there's no reason that his morning can't include walking over to the grocery store to buy dog food, in between global deal making and designing more slogans that are bound to inspire and enrage – many times in equal measure.  His "million dollar idea" began with two guys shooting the breeze on a couch, but looks to become more like a $65 million dollar idea before all is said and done.
 
Q&A with Johan E. Esbensen, President, Rogue Status, AWOL, Easy Company and Natalie Pace.  
 
What's up with your signature slogan, "Curb your God?" Unlike some of your more controversial slogans, like the gun show shirt, this is one that parents (at least the liberals) and kids alike respond pretty positively to.

Curb your god.  Too much of anything is too much.  A little of what you fancy does you good.  Just not all of it.  

What was your inspiration for it?

We had dog tags and we called them God tags.  They had "still standing" on one side and a bullet hole on the other.  So, just walking down the street and seeing all of those Curb Your Dog signs… I thought, "No.  Curb your God."

Speaking of God (in a slightly different way), let's talk about the limited edition Dillon Henry shirt, the memorial tee you produced for some local kids, Davis, Elliot and Gabe, when their best friend, Dillon, was killed in a car accident.  

I had a Dillon shout-out the other day.  This kid wears the Dillon shirt so much that I accidentally called him, "Dillon".  Good things come out of tragic events – like seeing the boys grow through it and staying positive about it and remembering somebody forever. I love that there is still more stuff happening, like the memorial concert.  

Natalie's note: On June 14th, RJD2 and GZA will headline the Dill ‘n Eddie Show at The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, California, with proceeds benefiting the charities of Dillon Henry and Eddie Lopez.  Both teens had their futures cut short by fatal accidents.  Eddie was a victim of crossfire gang violence and Dillon was killed in a car accident.  For more information on the memorial concert, go to Ticketmaster.com.  

Artist: Davis Lau

These guys needed something and you stepped up and out of your heart and wallet funded something that was so meaningful for them – the first 100 t-shirts honoring Dillon.   

That's how we spend our money.  I didn't even think about that.  There wasn't even a question.  That's what we do.  We make shirts, so we did a hundred initially of the black ones. But we don't just wait until someone dies.  Right now, our friend Xavier needs a new wheelchair.  He's part of that Life Rolls On Foundation.  We're going to customize the chair. Rogue Status it out with artwork. He'll have a fresh new chair for summer.  

Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, says, "Never underestimate the value of a free t-shirt."  Are you saying, "Never underestimate the value of a free wheelchair?"

These are just projects that are fun.  We can do them now.  

What's your role at the company?

I'm the President.  Rex is the head of design.  Jaspar is the Vice President/brand manager.  Brian in sales.  Rex stays on top of all the artwork and production.  Jason helps out with everything.  

How long did it take to get here?

November 2005 is when Rex and I first sat down and designed 20 shirts.  It just kind of snowballed from there.  

Rob and Big. Rob is wearing the Rogue Status “Gun Shop” tee-shirt.

What are your top selling shirts?

The gun print is #1 to this day.  #2 now is the brass knuckles in the shape of California.  Another big seller is "Too much time; too much money."  It's about the line-up of kids who wait for shoes, when there is going to be another hot one next month.

What is behind the gun print?  What message do you want people to take away from it?

By now, I don't care.  There have been so many different reactions.  I was just watching the news and it was all just Iraq and guns.  I was looking to make a simple linear print.  I took the guns and lined them up.  We coined it the Million Dollar Idea when we made it, sitting there on the couch.  

Was it?

Yup.

Was it a multi-million dollar idea?

I'm sure it will be, yeah.

Quicksilver is a publicly traded company worth a billion dollars.  Would you like to be that big or are you happy the way you are?

We're really happy the way we have it.  The two partners I share the company with have the same vision for it.  One day, we'd like to grow it as big as Quicksilver without having to sell out to anybody.

Remaining privately held and not accountable…

to shareholders.  Yeah.   But we'll see.  I don't know.  I'm learning all the time.  I know we'll get to at least $60 million on our own.

I have a whole other gang of companies behind Rogue Status.  We can grow Rogue Status as big as we want.  And then we have DTA (Don't Trust Anyone) with a darker design element to it.  So we'll hold onto that and grow it as a little brother.  And then we have AWOL and Easy Company and Board of Authority.

Arlington Cemetery hoodie

“Gun Show” hoodie

Now, what is AWOL?  I thought it stood for Always West of Lincoln - just a local Venice brand.

I gave out 200 of those shirts to locals when I was at Undefeated. But you can't keep that localism vibe when people from the East Coast are tattooing it on their bodies…  That's outside of the neighborhood and now a way of life. AWOL is following a different path.  Anti-establishment.

What is the AWOL ethos?  You're a provocateur, but you're also a laidback dude who rides his bike on Main Street for a bite to eat.

I've lived all over the world, in Ottawa, Vancouver, New York, Tokyo, Australia. I've traveled quite a bit.  And then coming to find Venice and Santa Monica, I thought, "This is where I want to stay forever."  I don't have to call anybody in the neighborhood. I can get on my bike and bump into them.  It's such a neighborhood feel. You don't have to go downtown LA or Hollywood. You have everything you need on the left hand side.

In fact, you've started quite a trend of young guys riding bikes in the hood. My son bought his first tank of gas.  He was so disgusted with gas prices, that before he bought his second tank of gas, he bought a Rogue Status bike. That's a cool idea that neighborhoods are so local you can ride your bike.  More people could do that, really.

Yeah.  They just don't.

So, Rogue Status is in five countries already.  How long have you been doing this?  Two years maybe?

Yeah.  The first year, I was just doing the hustle, still working full-time at Undefeated and doing this as a passion.  I've just been feeling the rewards of watching it grow, and people accepting it and understanding it.  Every shirt kind of inspires dialog whether it is good or bad.  They don't know that the people behind the brand are a little more lighthearted than the brands look. That first year was a year of hustling.

What's the hustle like?  What's the difference between you, the guy who actually did it, and the guy who doesn't do it?

It's just a matter of getting up and doing it. A lot of people say I want to do this or that but then they go back to sitting on their couch or doing nothing on their day off.  The hustle is me getting Rex, driving to downtown LA, getting the shirts, driving out to the print shop, developing that relationship there.  Coming back, going to work, picking up boxes, cruising around promoting people.  Every minute you're not selling a sneaker, trying to put a t-shirt on somebody and pushing the brand.

What was the real key?

I followed my friend Chris Gibbs to Union in New York. I was always dreaming about starting a brand then, but never had the time or the money.  Then I moved to LA.  Undefeated wanted to start a company on Main Street.  They asked Chris to help them open it, and they hired me also.  If I didn't know Chris from high school, I wouldn't have ever have gotten that opportunity.

Was the MTV show a big boost?  Rob and Big.  Rob wears the Rogue Status gun shop tee-shirt almost everywhere he goes.

After Chris, the key to success was definitely the relationship with Rob.  That was cool because I met him through Undefeated through the manager, Alex. Once I had the gun print in four colors, I thought, "Rob will like these." I had my friend get them to him. A week later, Rob came into the store and he said, "Yo, the reaction that I get from people when I get out of my Porsche is just insane.  What do you want to do with this?"    

So, I hustled to get to Rob and he became a partner in the company.  It took a year to brand the sh** out of the company and then I pulled the trigger on getting a store.

We had a mess of orders that we couldn't even begin to produce.  Then Travis Parker partnered in with a turnkey solution.  We got warehousing fulfillment, accounting, all the stuff we don't want to deal with.  We formed a distribution company called Killers.  

You guys are pretty dedicated worker bees for a bunch of laid back sneaker salesmen from Venice.

That's the thing.  We combine a really chill lifestyle with a strong work ethic.

How long is your day?

12 hours a day.  Answering emails all over the world.  Sometimes I go to Ontario [California] to visit the warehouse. We're just a well-greased machine that doesn't stop.  We can combine work and pleasure.  We blur it and live in the grey zone.  It's not black and white.

We call our company Easy Company.  Even our store.  We have hangars that hang straight all the time.  You never have to adjust them.  They just always look good.  I have a swivel chair.  Everything is just always right there.  

How did you go from NYC and not having enough dough for t-shirts to coming here and getting your ideas on cotton and your shirts on MTV?

You scrape the pennies.  I gambled on 200 t-shirts initially. I took them straight to Union. Union got them on Friday and sold out in two days.  I then re-ordered.  I dumped all of my shirts on Undefeated and Union.  Real baby steps.  I went into the hole over $10,000, personal loans from people who really covered my ass.  Then I stayed on top of the invoicing, making sure people paid me.  Rob bought in.  I spent that money but maintained it long enough to get Travis to come in. All that happened in like a year.

Cash positive in year one or year two?

I'd say year three.  We were always spending more money to make more money.

What about the growing pangs? You have more orders than you can fulfill and Travis falls into the game.  You have your first t-shirt and an MTV star loves it. You make it sound like everything just flowed so easily.

One guy bought in at one point who didn't share the same vision.  We had to buy him out.

It doesn't seem that bothered you much.  Some people would let that eat them alive.

I didn't let it bother me much.  It was more just like it didn't work out, so here's your money back.  There was animosity and he shit-talked about us for quite a long time after, but I was too busy to be bothered.  We were going forward.

Have you faced any moral challenges?  People promising you the moon…

I didn't want to sell the company out right away. There was an opportunity to do that.  We wanted to let the company grow more naturally.  The whole company motto is: "Do you."  I have the perfect team right now to keep the company going. I keep coming up with new ways to push the limits of what you can put on a shirt.  The rest of the guys do the same.  We're just having fun with it.

Like the new Arlington (Cemetery) shirt?
 
That's up there in the top two.  It's like the opposite of the gun print.  People really understand the patriotism in that one.  It's all about respect.  All those guns symbolize the soldier, as much as the crosses.

The gun print by itself without Arlington is more in people's face.  Some people take it like you're promoting violence.  Were you intending to do that?

No.  But I knew that it would push a lot of buttons and get people talking.  I don't even know why people get that offended by it.

They do, though, don't they?

Yes.  Kids get kicked out of high school for wearing it.  People get kicked out of the malls for wearing the Curb your God; Holy F**k shirt.  

Is this in the red states?

No, here in LA.  I think it's the Holy F**k on the back.  We do that a lot.  "Kill Them" on the front, "With Kindness" on the back.  We're having trouble finding product liability now because of those.  They are worrying that someone might get shot for wearing the Hangover shirt, which says "Please Kill Me."

That's tough because your brand is built in controversy.  If you tame yourselves enough to get insurance, you lose the very thing that your customers love about you.

We had a deal with DC Comics to do a Ghost Riders motorcycle jacket, shoes, the whole bit. Rob was presenting our media kit to the shareholders at Quiksilver (DC's parent company) for our product partnership with DC.  It went all the way to the top and then the old guys objected, saying, "No way. We can't work with Rogue Status."  They objected to an old t-shirt I made called, "Make Hate."    

We shot ourselves in the foot on that one. People got on the Internet over that shirt and the World Trade Center shirt and started dragging me through the mud.

Old white, conservative dudes?

No, young neighborhood kids.  With Make Hate, I was referencing that when you make anything positive or different, whether you make anything, even a painting, and you'll always get someone to hate on it.  That's what's behind Make Hate.  People get pissed off, but I will sell t-shirts for the rest of my life and make a great living and have fun with my friends.

The statistics are that a college graduate makes 80% more than a high school graduate.  How far did you go?

I never got my diploma.  I made it through grade 12, but there are 13 grades in Ontario [Canada].  

You seem to be very educated, particularly in history.  Where are you getting your information and knowledge?

Jason read every book and saw every film and talked about history the whole time and sparked my interest in it.  I've learned by living through current events. I've got to credit the Internet, the History Channel, the Discover Channel.  I read The Bible recently, and looked at it differently.

What is the biggest surprise?  Your manna from heaven?

The fact that I can pay myself and all my friends right now to make t-shirts.  I pinch myself everyday.  People love that sh**?  All of us are just getting warmed up.  Every day is a surprise.

What is your biggest challenge?  It sounds like things came fairly easy, but also you are not getting taken out with the stumbling blocks.

I don't know what to say.  Yesterday was fun.  Tomorrow's another one.

How fast are you growing?

We have nine people on the payroll including me. We have independent sales reps all over the United States.  We're pretty much peaked on our staff.  We'll probably need more people in a year and will outgrow our office space.  We're growing like crazy.

How about the store?

Our store kills it.  We pay our rent in a day or two days.  It's been nothing but uphill.  Growing growing every month better than the last.

We had a family drive straight from El Paso.  The dad was real buzzed out on coffee. People come from all over. It's just a bonus really.

Any avoid this; do that tips?

Try to be original.  Find your own motivation.  Do you.  Stay true to who you are.  That's it.

What about those people who say, "I don't know who I am?"

It sucks to be you.  I hate it when that happens.  I've never understood people like that.  Psychology is another thing I'm interested in.

Pushing past what you think you can do…  Did you ever do that?  You don't seem to have any fear really.  Making t-shirts that push the edge so far and all.  

I hate flying.  I'd rather drive.  If I can drive, I'll drive.  I never fly to Vegas.  That landing.  The turbulence. The plane is really small.

Well, if I were a betting gal, I'd bet you're in your own 747 soon, just like Sergey Brin and Larry Page, since you can't ride your bike to Singapore. Thanks Yo.  See you on the street.
 
Johan E. Esbensen is the President, Rogue Status, AWOL, Easy Company.  Find out more about Rogue at RogueStatus.com.

Beauty is Only Skin Deep in a Stalled Economy.

by Natalie Pace.

Includes a Beauty Stock Report Card.

In a perfect world, we’re all immortal and eternally young, but until we reach Nirvana, the scientists have done their best to create a fountain of youth by injecting poison into our forehead, inserting balloons into our breasts and grafting cadaver flesh filler into our wrinkles. While these strategies sound revolting, are painful and require constant maintenance, millions of Baby Boomers have bought into the multi-billion dollar business of eternal youth. Botox and breast implants were two of the fastest growing marketplaces over the last eight years, with Botox® procedures quadrupling from one million to 4.6 million between 2000 and 2007. Breast implants are up 64% over the same period, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons

While both Botox® and breast implants are FDA approved, the debate on whether or not these procedures cause serious health problems continues online. Websites like LoveYourLook.com offer information, blogs, feedback and testimonials, all good of course because the website is owned by the Mentor Corporation. Women gush in the blog, claiming:

"I finally have the body that I have always wanted."

"To anyone thinking of having breast aug...GO FOR IT!"

However, actress Mary McDonough, Erin on The Waltons, has a website called InTheKnow.org, whose most immediate concern is that silicone breast implants are available once again, after a 14-year ban over questions about their safety. The U.S. FDA lifted restrictions on their sale in November 2006.

On another website -- OurBodiesOurBlog.org -- Traci Levy, an assistant professor who teaches courses in feminism and gender studies at Adelphi University, writes, "To say that you need to have a very expensive surgical procedure with real health risks in order to be considered beautiful, I think, is a problematic image."

ImplantsOut.com owner Kacey Long shares her health crisis, which she believes was caused by saline breast implants, with other young women. Kacey warns, "Many women with saline breast implants have experienced serious problems, including: multiple operations because of pain or other issues, severe hardening of the breast, loss of health insurance, and an increase in unexplained illnesses. Saline breast implants can be dangerous to your health."

Barbie Dolls, 2008, 60x80" Barbie Dolls, detail

Depicts 32,000 Barbies, equal to the number of elective breast augmentation surgeries performed monthly in the US in 2006. Chris Jordan photographic arts http://www.chrisjordan.com/

Whether you love the new look or despise the expressionless acting skills of the 40-plus Botox® loving actors and actresses, pooh-pooh or worry about the health risks, or ignore or applaud the new trend of small-breasted superstars (like Kate Hudson and Keira Knightley), the cosmetic industry’s fad breaker in 2008 is more likely to be Wall Street than Madison Avenue. When homeowners can’t make their mortgage, one of the first bills to go could be beauty enhancement. You’ll notice that Mentor Corporation’s stock fell faster than the DOT COMs in 2000, losing 75% of its value between January and May 2000, at the start of that recession.

Source: MoneyCentral.msn.com

So, the question isn’t which beauty stock will wrinkle – they may all be vulnerable – but which will become most ugly of them all. And the company that might be most vulnerable, in my view, is one that was; 1) late in the Botox® arena; 2) was recently penalized by the Justice Department for allegedly trying to market a drug beyond it’s approved arena (the settlement was a $10 million fine and a five-year adherence to Corporate Integrity, without an admission of guilt); 3) had a drug application rejected by the FDA in January; 4) was forced to add bureaucracy and an oversight executive to the payroll (in an economic slowdown!); and, 5) is being less than truthful in its press releases.

In March 2006, Ipsen granted Medicis the rights to develop, distribute and commercialize Ipsen's botulinum toxin product (a Botox® competitor) in the United States, Canada and Japan. However, the first application submitted to the FDA for approval of the drug was rejected in January 2008, costing the company valuable time. A new application was recently resubmitted addressing the FDA’s questions, however, it typically takes 10 months to receive a response and another year lost means the company could be launching in the doldrums of demand for the drug. Medicis will owe Ipsen $25 million, once the application is accepted by the FDA, without the ability to bring in revenue on the product until the FDA approval.

Additionally, the joint Ipsen/Medicis press release states that current growth estimates for Botox®, which was the most popular non-surgical treatment in 2006, are estimated to be "in excess of 20 percent." Allergan’s CEO, whose company owns the rights to Botox, is more conservative about how a stalled economy could affect his business. Allergan chief executive David Pyott said that Botox® should suffer less than more costly cosmetic procedures like breast implants. "People might try and extend treatments a little bit," he said. "That's more likely what I think would happen than people just saying, 'I can't afford this. I'm just going to be ugly again.' "

Medicis recently paid $10 million to the Justice Dept. to settle claims of off-label marketing of one of their drugs (without admitting any guilt in the matter). The company also hired a Chief Compliance Officer and created an enterprise-wide compliance function to administer MRX’s obligations under a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement. Between the Ipsen raoylty payment, the Justice Department penalty, the delays in the FDA approval process and the new Compliance Officer, that’s a lot of extra expense in a corporation that made only $75 million profit last year, especially as the American economy continues to limp along.

Companies like Allergan, Medicis and Mentor Corporation could see Botox® and breast implant procedures dry up because cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance and when you can’t pay the house payment and other basic needs, it’s harder to justify the perks. However, families did manage to pony up the dough for certain beauty procedures in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Allergan’s Botox sales increased 84% from 2000 to the end of 2002, whereas Mentor’s aesthetic and general surgery sales (largely breast implants) increased only 22% over the same period. This trend supports Mr. Pyott’s forecast in today’s economy. I wouldn’t expect Allergan’s sales to explode, but historical trends say the company may withstand the pressure more easily than Medicis or Mentor do. Additionally, Allergan’s eye care business is still larger than it’s Botox® business, at $1.8 billion in sales in 2007, over $1.2 billion in Botox over the same period. (Allergan also has breast implants and obesity products from its acquisition of Inamed.)

This journey into beauty also took me into the path of a company that has products poised for strong growth, even in this weak economy, mostly because they are expanding into big markets that are covered by insurance. LifeCell, now a division of Kinetic Concepts Inc. (KCI) has Alloderm, which is used for burn victims (in addition to lip augmentation and wrinkle fillers). Kinetic also has a vacuum assisted closure product that reduces healing time and risk of infection of wounds. Imagine a new procedure for treating wounds! V.A.C® is proven to help save the limbs of diabetics with infections.

A search online for V.A.C. reveals entry upon entry of doctors and nurses touting the desirability of the product. In fact, Betty the nurse, a blogger, recently pointed out that there is talk about using vacuum assisted closure on primary closures of all wounds--before they become infected. According to Betty, "Often times these VACs are only used on wounds that have failed to close primarily. An example would be a surgical incision that has become infected and needs to be re-opened." Should the marketplace for VACs open up to the treatment of all wounds (because it has less risk for infection and a faster healing time) the marketplace for VACs could explode overnight – even in a recession.

The play on Kinetic is enhanced by the exploding business of LifeCell as well. Lifecell’s sales have increased 77% in the last two years. I’ve added LifeCell’s new owner, Kinetic Concepts Inc. (symbol: KCI), to the Hot News list this month. Medicis and Mentor have been added to the Cooling Off list, anticipating further downward pressure on the share prices.

Click to go to the Beauty Stock Report Card, where I line up the P/E, D/E, revenue, share price and insider trading information on each of these companies.

Full Disclosure: Natalie Pace does not own shares or positions in any company mentioned in this article.

Please note: NataliePace.com does not act or operate like a broker. We are a new media website. This article is intended to educate and inform individual investors, and, thus, to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. The publicly traded companies mentioned in this article are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations. ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies.

Investors should NOT be using the Hot News on Cool Stocks list or the Cooling Off list to trade their nest eggs. Your retirement plan should reflect a long, safe strategy, which has been designed with the assistance of a financial professional who is familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge and patience.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable however NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. Securities, financial instruments or strategies mentioned herein may not be suitable for all investors.

Grade Your Guru. Grade Your Broker.

by Natalie Pace.

Jim Cramer Host, Mad Money on CNBC-TV

Is Jim Cramer making anyone any money? Is your broker a loser if s/he only returned 3% last year? See how the returns of the market measure up with your favorite guru and broker!

During the last recession of 2000-2002, a number of my girlfriends came to me crying that their husbands and brokers had lost all of their money. Was it the truth? Had they really lost all of their money, or simply lost the upside they would have gained if they had sold at the market highs in March of 2000? And who was really to blame? Was it their broker’s fault, their husband’s fault, their fault or are stocks a bad investment, compared to gold, real estate and bonds?

The truth of historical returns tells a revealing, under-reported story. Stocks are still the best game in town.

As you can see in the chart above, over the last 39 years, stocks have had great gains, far higher than real estate or gold. The heydays of 1999 and the sad days of 2000-2002 both capture headlines, but the truth is that stocks provide steady, reliable and dependable returns, when you look at a ten or twenty year horizon. In fact, if you look at the three years before the DOT COM bust, in addition to the recession in 2000-2002, then you see that the only way you lost a lot of money is if you jumped into the deep end on NASDAQ pretty late in the game, in 1999. And if you did, was that your fault or your broker’s? Seasoned brokers know better than to be swept up in headlines. That’s a rookie’s mistake. So either you forced your broker’s hand, or you picked a rookie and need to do a better job of hiring a professional to manage your money.

Source: MoneyCentral.MSN.com

So, the first rule of grading your broker is, have I made on average at least 10% gains every year? Some years, the returns could be 50% and others -10%, but if the net gain is 10% annually, then chances are that you have a reasonably well-diversified portfolio and that your broker did a good job setting it up for you. If you want to get further into the detailed analysis, read the article, "Recession Proof Your Portfolio," in the volume 5, issue 2 NataliePace.com ezine and "How to Find a Broker" in the Investor Edu section on the home page of Natalie Pace.com.

So what about 2007? How did your broker rank last year? The market returns in 2007 were lower than the average, but still positive. See the chart directly below.

I have a friend who was distressed because her portfolio only returned 3% last year. Well, that’s not really so bad given that the S&P500 returned just 2%, right? So, rather than falsely accusing the broker of doing a bad job, the two partners could look at the statistics and discuss whether they need more exposure to younger, smaller companies, where the higher returns are traditionally found.

Rank Your Guru
I get a lot of calls from people quoting Cramer. He’s entertaining, but should you be listening? Would you seek marriage counseling from someone who had been divorced a number of times? What about listening to the stock recommendations from someone who had colossal losers in 2007?

Some of the biggest losers on Wall Street last year included Jim Cramer’s #1 Growth and Value Stocks. Cramer’s growth pick was the New York Stock Exchange Euronet (NYX), which dropped -6% in 2007 and -27% from January 2007 to May 2008. His value selection was Altria (MO), more commonly known as Philip Morris Tobacco Company, which tumbled -13% in 2007 and is currently down -23% from January 2007.

Source: MoneyCentral.MSN.com

Source: MoneyCentral.MSN.com

By comparison, the 2007 NataliePace.com Company of the Year was Suntech Power Holdings, which returned 142% on the year and was still up 27% on May 2, 2008.

Source: MoneyCentral.msn.com

You only need one or two of these rocket ships in your portfolio to start enjoying great gains. Now granted, these are just three stocks and not the entire Jim Cramer or Natalie Pace portfolio. For more of my statistical returns, read this month’s Hot News on Cool Stocks article, and you’ll see that over the past six years, almost half of the stocks that I’ve featured have doubled or more from the time I feature them to the time that we take them off of the Hot News list. I have a methodology that combines technical and fundamental analysis, and it works in both bull and bear markets.

Tipstraders.com has my annualized gains at 17%, based upon over 400 positions, compared with Cramer’s at .9%. Their methodology is different than a pure tracking system, but I haven’t found a tracking system yet that gives Cramer a high score. If you want to track Jim Cramer’s returns yourself, just watch his show religiously for a month and log all of his picks in a fictitious portfolio. Check back in a year. If you like what you see, keep watching. If not, find a better use of your time. It’s a good idea to know anyone’s track record before trusting him or her to be your guru!

So, for your long-term portfolio, you want an unexciting broker who can meet or beat the annual returns of 10% or more. Your broker’s job is to know how to protect and grow your nest egg, all of the tax-qualified accounts that you can utilize to save 15-40% of your returns from taxation and safe, high-yielding strategies for diversification and asset allocation.

For your stock guru, you’re looking for someone who can step up to the plate and score – someone who has a track record of hitting home runs consistently. Don’t assume that the person with the loudest mouth or the daily television show is more talented than someone you might have to scout to find. The proof is in the returns. Let them be your guide!

Are We At the Bottom of the Real Estate Crunch?

by Shawn D. Harris, Mortgage Planning Specialist.

The short answer is no.
 
There are two major influences that we have not yet seen that will affect our real estate market.
 
#1 – Prime "option arm" loans have not yet reset.
#2 – The government will soon stick its nose into the foreclosure market.

#1
Everyone knows about the subprime lending meltdown. People who couldn’t afford houses and whose credit history showed they are incapable of making consistent payments, bought houses in droves between 2004 – 2006.  Basically all subprime lenders went out of business in 2007, eliminating subprime financing.
 
The majority of these loans were fixed for 2 years, with a few fixed for 3 years. Unlike prime loans, when these loans adjusted, rates adjust 3% per year for two or three years until it levels off. Typically, these loans lose their "interest only" features. In affect, these loans became completely unaffordable.
 
Much of the drop that we have seen over the past year and a half has been attributed to these loans.  I think there are other, larger reasons for the drop, but these sub-prime loans have certainly played a substantial part in the downfall.
 
If you look at the trend lines, the lower value houses have been hit the hardest, seeing drops from 30% - 60%, where the more expensive homes have been hit less, typically 10%-25%.  This is mainly because the predominant financing instrument for large value homes were "A-paper" loans.  There were very few (if almost none, as a sample of the whole population) sub-prime loans over $500k.
 
We are currently seeing a bit of up tick in purchase activity, as the first set of investors are moving back into the marketplace.   I’m not convinced though that we’ve hit the bottom, and investors in the buy/flip mode would be wise to wait (though buy/hold/rent investors may be smart to start looking).
 
There is still a HUGE portfolio of prime loans that are looking to reset soon, and this time they will be hitting the nicer homes and neighborhoods.  Loans called "option ARMs" were extraordinarily popular for the past five years, and by my estimate 70% of loans over $1 million were option ARMs (go ahead, look through a current copy of "Dream Homes Magazine" and notice the mortgage adds). These loans gave the option to pay less than what was actually owed, and the difference was added to the remaining loan balance.
 
These loans were targeted to two types of people.  The first set was people who wanted a house larger than what they could afford (the incorrect use).  The second set was investors or financially sophisticated people who could use the saved monthly payment for other, better paying investments (the correct use). Unfortunately, the first set greatly outnumbered the second set.
 
There is a surprise ticking time bomb in these loans that could devastate this first set of homeowners.  If the deferred payments (that difference between what is owed and what is paid) hits a certain level, anywhere from 10% to 25% of the initial loan balance, the loan immediately loses its "minimum payment" option, and in many cases loses the interest only option.    
 
Once it hits, payments will double (similar to the subprime problem).  There is not a hard timeframe on when this will happen, but based upon the way interest rates have been moving, we will start to see the first of these loans resetting in six months or so.  They will peak in a year and a half.  According to Slate.com, between 2005 – 2007, WAMU and Countrywide originated over $300 billion (yes billion) worth of these loans, the majority of which were in California.   There was a large reason that when WAMU was recently in financial trouble, it could find no institution investors to purchase it, and had to rely upon a cash infusion of a private equity fund (which led to massive layoffs and the closing of several major portions of their business).
 
It depends upon how the lenders treat these loans, but if they allow these loans to reset and the payments drastically increase, we are in for another big drop, this time in the higher end market.  I hope (and suspect) that the banks that still have these loans in their possession will be nimble enough to adjust and keep these loans from defaulting in bulk. However, the industry has shown that it cannot work quickly or efficiently when trying to adjust the terms on loans that have been sold on the secondary market (which are the bulk of the loans).
 
Certainly, the rich have a better chance of surviving a large payment change, but I think it would be an error to assume that it was the rich who were buying those nice homes (particularly in the $600k – $1.2m range).  A mortgage payment based upon a $1,000,000 loan amount, a 40-year term and a 1% minimum payment option is $2,528.   A mortgage payment on a $400,000 loan, fully amortized at 6% is $2,398.  Aside from property taxes, they’re basically the same payment.
 
 
#2
If the government looks to intervene in the process of banks foreclosing on homes and grant relief to the homeowner, look for another big drop.
 
Recently, the federal government granted relief to homeowners who are moving through the foreclosure process.  If a homeowner has his property foreclosed upon, or moves through a "short sale", the fed government has placed certain moratoriums disallowing the lenders to issue a 1099 to the homeowners.  
 
Typically in a foreclosure or short sale, the lender has the option of issuing the homeowner a 1099 to allow the lender to write off the loss as an expense. Regardless of what the homeowner does, whether it is moving through a foreclosure or bankruptcy, that homeowner will eventually have to pay taxes on that 1099.  If the bankruptcy or short sale occurs this year, with this new government intervention, they won’t get that 1099.
 
So this allows the homeowner to rid himself of his home with the only real negative affects being he has to move and his credit is ruined.
 
The government did this in an effort to blunt the economic damages to the homeowner.  However, they have created an interesting side affect.  They have provided incentives to people to walk away from their homes. Based upon my personal experience, I have nine borrowers prequalified to purchase a new house.  Of those nine, five of them are in the process of walking away from their current homes.
 
People are smart.  If the government is going to allow them to rid themselves of their current homes with no major financial considerations, they will do so.  In fact, before they completely walk away from their current home, they are purchasing another, similar home with a mortgage payment substantially lower than their current payment.
 
I know what I have seen is anecdotal, and perhaps a little ahead of the curve, but I am certain that others will be following this lead.  
 
I’m not 100% sure if how this will affect a drop in home values.  Though these homeowners are dumping their higher priced home, and purchasing a cheaper one, it could be that they are just reinforcing the bottom on the market, not driving it down further.  In my experience, these people are not looking for the absolute cheapest property to purchase, since whatever they buy will create a substantial monthly savings.
 
Any way, be wary of the government getting too involved in this mess.  Certainly some help is expected and advised, but I believe that the market has the ability to work itself out.
 
That’s it from me.  As always, email me with any questions or if you think I’m an idiot and got something wrong.
 
Cordially,

Shawn D Harris
Broker/Owner
Mortgage Planning Specialist

I Appreciate Referrals .... If you know someone who needs expert mortgage advice contact me.

Direct: 800.871.7987 x 702
Fax: 888.326.5016
www.ctm-financial.com

Ask Natalie: Should I Use My Tax Refund to Pay Down Debt?

Dear Natalie. The IRS is sending out stimulus checks to all taxpayers, plus I’m getting another $5,000 back in my tax refund. Should I pay down the debt on my credit cards, take a vacation or invest the money? My wife and I can’t agree. Help! Signed: Vacation Happy

Dear Vacation Happy: If you’ve ever played my Billionaire Game, then you know that I believe there is a divine flow of money that, when followed, leads to the rich life. The Billionaire Game takes you through the process of how you would spend that money if you had all the money in the world. When you apply that logic and those disciplines to your current situation, then the right answer for your and your wife becomes VERY clear! So, take the time to play the Billionaire Game with your wife to help resolve this. You can get the details of the Billionaire Game in the volume 5, issue 3 NataliePace.com ezine.

According to an Associated Press-AOL Money & Finance poll released on April 10, 2008, the majority of Americans are spending their refunds this year to pay bills and to pay down debt. As a point of policy, I don’t think that is a good idea, for a number of reasons. In the natural world, what you focus on expands. If you focus on debt or if you’re stuck in the rut of basic needs and survival, you never get out of it largely because you haven’t changed the habits that got you into debt in the first place. If you focus on wealth creation strategies, then you step into a healthy relationship with money that allows you to earn more and spend less in a more balanced way, while eliminating your debt and making sure it never builds up to an albatross again.

Let’s say that $5,000 refund was a $1,000,000 inheritance. If you thought about paying down $100,000 debt first, then you wipe 1/10 of your money out of the inheritance and bring the principle down to $900,000. If you invested the money, then your debt could be paid with the returns, as average returns on $1,000,000 are 10% annually, or $100,000 per year. In that scenario, your debt could be paid off in one year, and you preserve all of your principle. The following year, you should have $100,000 income (that 10% return) to enrich your lifestyle.

Put your debt on a payment plan that is consistent with the 50% to survive and 50% to thrive "Buy My Own Island" plan that is outlined in the Billionaire Game. (Debt repayment is part of your survival, incidentally, not your thriving.) The reality is that when you get your debt on a payment plan, get your spending in line with the Thrive budget and focus on increasing your monthly income through your job as well as your investments, you are embracing a strategy that works. When you try to decrease debt simply by making a lump sum payment, the odds that you build it up again are extremely high, because your income hasn’t increased, your spending hasn’t decreased, your investments haven’t flourished and your skill level hasn’t improved. In order to become wealthier than you are today, all of those things should be addressed – more income, more education, more skills, better investing habits and a lower monthly nut!

As an example of how this works, there was a woman we’ll call Wendy. Wendy had put about $30,000 on credit cards when she was launching her business in 2003. Her business wasn’t doing so well, so by 2005, she was barely paying the minimum payment each month. As a result, the penalties and interest had doubled her debt to almost $60,000. Wendy called the credit card company, told them her dire situation and started a monthly payment plan of a minimum amount that she could afford at the time. In 2008, Wendy was contacted by the debt collector at the credit card company and asked if she was interested in setting up a repay plan that was more acceptable to the company.

The debt collector was initially aggressive about the principal and need for a high payment, which was much higher than anything Wendy could really afford. When the collector said, "But your debt is almost $60,000!" Wendy responded by pointing out that half of the debt was penalties and interest. She also noted that she’d been faithful about making payments on the debt, even though her business had been struggling.

As a result of religiously paying the minimum payment over the last three years and pointing out to the debt collector that original amount owed was only $30,000, Wendy was able negotiate a new principal of $45,000 and monthly payments to pay off the debt, which were well within her ability to repay. If Wendy continues to make her payments on time, there will be no further penalties or interest on the account.

With that out of the way, Wendy focused on getting a book deal to promote her business, on getting her business cash positive and partnering with some big partners in achieving her goal. That focus resulted in a lot more income to her. More income means that she has the ability to make bigger monthly payments on the debt going forward, and potentially even under better terms. On the other hand, if Wendy’s focus had been solely on paying down debt, instead of on business expansion as well, she might have made a slightly larger payment, but nothing close to the $15,000 of the debt, which was written off. And who knows if she would have gotten into a position of earning more income so quickly!

Debt is similar to dieting. When you adopt healthy eating habits, you’re more likely to lose weight and never gain it back. When you "diet," you’re more likely to yo-yo between weight loss and weight gain. When you adopt healthy fiscal habits, you’re more likely to create wealth. When you try to pay down debt in one lump sum, you’re more likely to balloon back up to serious debt fairly quickly, which keeps you too sad, depressed and at wit’s end to focus on wealth generating strategies and investments!

In short, the good news, Vacation Happy, is that a healthy approach to money includes fun, so you get to have your vacation, your investments and to pay down debt, too! If you really want to get into the flow of prosperity, that $5,000 plus refund should also include two items that were not on your list – charity and education. There is no reason to stay trapped in yo-yo debt dieting, when you can adopt the habits of the very wealthy and start living a richer life right here and now.

Be sure to share where you go, what you invest in and the fantastic results of your own debt repayment negotiations at my AskNatalie blog at http://asknataliepace.blogspot.com/!

Great Mother's Day Gift Ideas.

by Natalie Pace.

Every year, we do a survey, and overwhelmingly, our moms report that they prefer stock, cash, spa gift certificates and vacations over chocolate and flowers. If you are a mom, please weigh in on your favorite gift at the survey on the home page at NataliePace.com. That way your hubby and kids have a chance of getting you what you really desire. (Just leave the page open on your computer strategically…) Check out what this year’s survey reveals if you’re looking to buy Mom something she’ll really appreciate! Here’s another gift idea. Sugar scrubs are all the rage at the expensive spas, and the below recipe is one that combines some of the most luxurious oils for skin. While most scrubs you buy at the store contain large amounts of less expensive (and less beneficial) oils, this recipe combines Vitamin E, avocado oil and jojoba for a quality gift that costs half the price of the luxury brand scrubs.

ROSE-SCENTED SUGAR SCRUB
Makes 3-4 medium-sized scrubs

Ingredients
4 - 24 oz. packages of turbinado sugar
8 oz. avocado oil
8 oz. sweet almond oil
8 oz. grapeseed oil
4 oz. jojoba oil
4 oz. Vitamin E oil
tsp. grapefruit seed extract
3 oz. maraschino cherries (with fluid)
5 drops concentrated rose oil

Puree cherries. Set aside. Mix oils together. Add 5 drops of rose essence, grapefruit seed extract and the blended cherries to the oil.

Measure sugar in desired container. Pour sugar in a separate bowl. Add oil in a ratio of about 2 parts sugar to 1 part oil mixture. (You want enough oil to cover but not drown the sugar.) Fold the oil into the sugar mixture with a minimum amount of strokes (to keep the sugar granules from dissolving). Pour the scrub into the container.

Decorate the container, and include the recipe when you give the scrub away as a gift.

This recipe uses only the finest oils. The sugar exfoliates the skin, while the oils replenish and soften the skin. Designer scrubs can cost more up to $50 for a small container, and they often rely upon inexpensive oil bases (which aren't as luxurious for the skin, clog the pores and leave an oily residue).

I love making a batch of these scrubs for my girlfriends. Let's face it. Mothers work very hard, and deserve to get a great, unexpected gift. And when you spoil your friends with something made with your own hands, they remember it! (Don't forget to make an extra scrub for yourself.)

If you need to keep costs down, shop for your containers at the dollar store and buy your oils at a Trader Joe’s or Coop.

Charitable Donations and In Memoriam Gifts for Mom
If your mother has everything she could possibly want or has already passed to the other side, consider making a charitable contribution on Mother’s Day to honor her. There are many great nonprofit organizations to choose from. Below are just a few:

Us Foundation. Non-profit organization delivering anti-parasite medication and vitamins to extremely poor children in India. Learn more in Marilyn Tam’s article this month or at UsFoundation.org.
CoAbode.org. Single mothers house sharing web site. CoAbode provides one of the simplest, most effective ways for a single mother to reduce living expenses, increase the earning power of her income, have an extra parent around for childcare and camaraderie and create more leisure time for playful interaction with her children.
MakeItRightNOLA.org. Brad Pitt’s plan to build green affordable housing on a large scale to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Peace, prosperity and love,

Natalie

Wise Talk, Wild Women.

by Gwen Mazer. Portraits by Christine Alicino. Publisher Council Oaks Books Hardcover, 2007.

Introduction. Adapted Excerpt

Gwen Mazer, author of Wise Talk Wild Women Photograph by Chris Johnson

Wise Talk Wild Women is a series of candid conversations with women of substance, at 60 and beyond, about life love, lesson learned. Ranging from futurist Barbara Marx Hubbard to poet Nikki Giovanni, these conversations reflect a shift in the beliefs, ideas and attitudes of women living in the 21^st century. The women span a broad spectrum of experience, having engaged life in many different ways.

I began to gestate a series of questions that would form the background for this tapestry of conversations. What experiences were common among us? What had dictated our life choices? Who were we now, and how did we see our futures?

Keiko Fukuda exhibited traits that I would find common among the women I talked with. Each was her own individual. Each danced to her own drum. Even if she had tried to force herself into a cultural mold, her individuality and need to create kept popping out. Each one needed to create a life and an identity, an expression in the world, and each one seemed to find her own purpose, her own center. They could not be tamed. They were wild women in the truest sense.

One of the most crucial things the women shared was the ability to operate from intuition, and many believed this to be more and more important as they grew older. Many felt their spirituality and their intuition to be entwined – that the "wise woman within" will never lead us astray.

As Dolores Huerta says, "We need to be out in the world." Then we get a sense not only of ourselves, but also of our place in the scheme of things and our power to create for the good of all. Some of the women I spoke with knew from childhood what they were going to do in the world; others stumbled into their paths; still others were thwarted in their initial choice but found another of equal value. Glady Thacher wanted to be an artist, but she married and had several children. Still, that creative energy was bubbling, and eventually it found an outlet; her career was not intentional. Belva Davis, on the other hand, hid from a chaotic childhood in a fortress of books and film until the day she simply woke up, said, "I'm going to have a life," and intentionally went about creating one. Donna Eden turned a difficult early marriage, a serious illness, and a gift for perceiving energy into a lifework of healing. Jo Hanson rejected the fundamentalist Hillerite sect of her upbringing and found her way to the Hawaiian spiritual practice of Huna.

The portraits in this book show women who are beautifully alive in their unique physical presence and in the power centered within their deepest selves. They have been able to prune and shape the branches of their lives and become their imaginings.

Instead of growing old, we can grow into age, into all the different aspects of ourselves. We can grow in gratitude, in trust, in understanding of ourselves and others. We can grow in compassion. The media has portrayed age as rigidity, but I see age as fluidity. We have the wisdom to live in the present moment with peace, no matter what the circumstances.

I see in age the chance to grow into forgiveness, of ourselves and others, to let go of grievances and to be open to new experiences so that we do not become like root-bound plants that knurl up and turn into themselves. Like plants, those of us who get air and light and sunshine continue to unfold and to grow.

The world is waiting for the unique gift that you alone have to give.

Wise Talk, Wild Women chronicles the inspiring life stories of women of substance creating great lives -- at midlife and beyond. To purchase a copy, click on the title or go to Amazon.com.

For more information, contact Gwen Mazer at GwenMazer.com.

 

Gratitude.

by Marilyn Tam, Co-founder, Us Foundation.

In this second of two articles, Marilyn Tam chronicles her trek to India to provide anti-parasitic medicine and Vitamin A to impoverished children in India. See Marilyn’s first article, "Abundance," in volume 5, issue 4.

Dear Friends,

More on my adventure. When I get home I’ll include photos. You have to see the beauty, the inspiration and the bleak conditions….

We had an amazing day. We went to a desperately poor area today where everyone is so malnourished that I was the tallest person there and definitely the fattest. The children are so small they look at least several years younger than they are until you look into their faces and get a sense of their true ages. The illiteracy is almost 100%; in fact most of the people including adults do not know how old they are because they cannot count or add. Heart breaking to work with such dire conditions, and also that is why we are here doing what we do.

HH Sai Maa Lakshmi Devi has just been gifted land in this area and I know that she is thinking of building a clinic here. It would be so great to have medical support here. There was a boy with a broken arm that has healed in a crooked fashion and there is nothing we can do for him, very sad. Many of the children have obvious diseases like jaundice, ring worms, vision problems, beri beri, fungus, scabies and drastically stunted growth. The adults are also malnourished, and I just wish there was so much more I can do to help. My mind is spinning as to how we can do more.

The land is very rocky here and the main work they have is to dig rocks up and break them up into sand and sell that to brick making factories. They do everything manually, yes, dig up rocks, pound them into sand and then make bricks from them all by hand with very primitive tiny little hammers and spades. They make from 40-100 rupees a day if they are lucky, that translates to $1-2US; on that they have to feed, clothe and pay for all living expenses; obviously school is not included in the consideration. They also make cow dung patties for fuel but that mainly is for their own use.

Today I had the first experience of eating bread made in a cow dung fire; not an experience that I am anticipating repeating if I can help it. It tasted marginally normal if you don’t consider how it was cooked, and although I ate with positive thoughts, I certainly can’t say it was a culinary highlight. Being in that deeply impoverished area, there are no restaurants and we ate at Satuwa Baba’s ashram. That is how everyone here cooks their food, with cow dung. It is the main if not only source of fuel and energy; needless to say electricity is a huge luxury. The bread (buns) are placed right into the cow dung fire and cooked in it, with HH Sai Maa and Satuwa Baba looking on while everybody ate….. I have to say that there was more eating than I would have expected, maybe because everyone was so hungry and exhausted from working under such harsh conditions. Sai Maa didn’t eat more than one bite of rice, she doesn’t eat much; wish I could have done the same but I wanted to be present and share the total experience of the people. Well, at least as much as I could manage without completely driving myself nuts.

Tomorrow I am working with the state and local officials and IMA (India Medical Association) to organize the ongoing logistics of the distribution of anti-parasitic medicine and vitamin A for 100,000 children for the next three years and to develop potentially a bigger ongoing program. I am leaving for Delhi the day after and it will take me one whole day to get to Hong Kong from there. My mother is leaving for Vancouver that day and we may be able to have lunch together before she departs. I stay one more night and then I’ll be on my way home. Yippee!

It is about 9:45pm and I am bone tired. The strain of traveling for miles on trying road conditions between horrendous traffic with suicidal drivers, pedestrians, pedicabs, tractor hauling brick wagons, oxen carts, bicycles, motor cycles, cows, goats, dogs, one elephant, the occasional motor cycle swallowing potholes and looking into the sometimes hopeful and oftentimes weary and blank eyes of the many frail and bony children and adults all day is wearing. I wish I could do so much more. I look forward to sharing with you my thoughts on how we can make a huge difference with a little money. Gratitude for our lives is so easy when one considers how many other people live.

Marilyn Tam went to India as the facilitator of a collaboration of three organizations, Us Foundation www.usfoundation.org , Humanity in Unity www.humanityinunity.org and Vitamin Angels Alliance www.vitaminangels.org to provide anti-parasitic medicine and vitamin A for 100,000 children. As the representative of Us Foundation, Marilyn took the lead in organizing this project and is responsible for implementing the program. Marilyn’s group works with the local teams affiliated with Humanity in Unity, distributing the anti-parasitic medicine and vitamin A to prevent blindness, improve their immune systems and brain development and to educate and hand out hygiene and nutrition picture flyers translated into the local language so that the children, parents and teachers could take the information to their villages.

If you are interested in participating in a future mission, please log onto www.humanityinunity.org and www.usfoundation.org For tax deductible donations to this program, please send your donation to the India children’s project at:

Us Foundation
P.O. Box 5780
Santa Barbara, CA 93150
www.Usfoundation.org

Marilyn Tam is the founder and executive director of Us Foundation, the author of "How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want," and former President of Reebok Apparel Products & Retail Group. Marilyn’s vision is to expand the current 100,000 children’s health & education program in Varanasi, India to a program which will serve all the millions of children whose families subsist on under $1US a day in India… Us Foundation will be collaborating with the same organizations above, adding Save the Children, and eventually will be doing this program in 41 countries!

Health is Wealth: How Lifestyle Affects Gastrointestinal Health.

by Joanna Ransier, Registered Nurse, HealthWalk.com© Health Guide.

The brain and the gut are intricately entwined. In fact, anyone who has ever felt butterflies in the stomach before giving a speech, taking a test, or a bout of intestinal urgency the night before an important appointment has experienced the actions of the dual nervous systems. Butterflies in the stomach are caused by a surge of stress hormones released by the body in a ‘fight, flight or freeze’ situation. Stress can also over stimulate nerves in the esophagus, causing a feeling of choking. How and what you are thinking dramatically affects what goes on in your bowels. Having a ‘gut feeling’ may not just be a phrase, but a true representation of gut intelligence.

Scientists have begun calling the gut "the second brain". This second brain is referred to as the enteric nervous system (part of the autonomic nervous system). Both the gut and the brain have chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. In fact, 95% of the body’s serotonin (the brain chemical that many popular antidepressants increase) is located in the gut. Serotonin also acts as a go-between, keeping the brain in the skull up to date with what is happening in the brain below. Such communication is mostly one way, with 90% traveling from the gut to the head. There are actually more nerve cells in the gut than there are in the entire spinal column.

The role of the enteric nervous system is to manage every aspect of digestion, from the esophagus to the stomach, small intestine and colon. The gut monitors pressure. It monitors the progress of digestion. It detects nutrients, and it measures acid and salts. It’s a little chemical lab.

The most interesting part of all is that all this happens without any conscious thought or effort on our part. We don’t need to tell the gut how to digest food; its innate knowledge already knows. That’s the good part. The flip side of the wonderful workings of the gut is that, as mentioned earlier, our thoughts can have an instantaneous and profound effect on the functioning of the gut as well, such as in a sudden shock that activates the ‘flight, fight or freeze’ reaction before we even realize it’s happening.

So, what does all this mean in terms of having a healthy gut? Even though the functioning of the gut is mostly automatic there are some lifestyle habits that, if followed, can support having a ‘happy tummy’.

When, where and how you eat are closely related to how well your intestinal system works or doesn’t work. Skipping breakfast or having irregular meal times not only puts strain on the stomach but also impacts blood sugar equilibrium. A healthy practice is to provide your body with fuel as you start the day. You wouldn’t expect your car to run on empty; don’t expect it of your body. If you’re not accustomed to eating in the morning, try starting with an apple or a handful of raw organic almonds. It doesn’t have to be fancy. If possible, space your meals at regular intervals. No need to be rigid about this, just a gentle awareness of taking time to give yourself some good nourishment to keep your energy up and your stomach in good working order.

Your eating environment is also important. In our fast paced society, we have all probably engaged in desktop or dashboard dining. If the gut is busy accommodating for our stressful lifestyle and you put food into it, it doesn’t know whether to handle the stress or the digestion properly. Handling stress and digesting food require opposite activities of the gut and it will usually opt for handling the stress because it perceives it as life threatening. Have you ever noticed that after eating during a tense conversation, how the food seems to sit like a lump in your stomach? It’s a good idea for gut health to create a peaceful setting so that both you and your stomach are relaxed.

And lastly, how you eat definitely affects the digestion process. We have all developed eating habits and patterns, ranging from finishing a full meal at the speed of light to being slower than slow. Are you the first one finished or always the last to leave the table? Of course, finding the middle ground is always the best. One way to monitor yourself regardless of which side of middle you find yourself, is to chew your food thoroughly and stop when you feel full. Digestion starts in the mouth when the saliva and food are mixed together by chewing. Take the time to really enjoy the flavor and texture of your food and know you are doing your stomach a favor by reducing its workload. It’s a good idea to refrain from using a beverage to help swallow your food. If you find that you are the ‘slow poke’ at the table, you might want to consider checking in with yourself to find out if you are full and just eating because the food is on the plate.

Remember your body is the only one you’ve got. You can’t trade it in for a new one like you can a car. If you take care of it, it will take care of you by gifting you with high level performance and vibrant health. One way to take care of your gastro-intestinal system is to provide it with healthy micro-organisms called probiotics. If you look at the word ‘probiotics’ you will find ‘pro’ meaning ‘to be for’ and ‘bio’ meaning ‘life’. So probiotics are bacteria that help life. They are needed to create a healthy balance in the gut. If you have taken antibiotics, had a bout of constipation or diarrhea, travel a lot, or are experiencing physical or emotional stress, you need to replenish your depleted intestinal flora with probiotics.

You can do this with the HealthWalk’s BioNue™. BioNue™ is a powerful combination of broad spectrum probiotics and the only one on the market which contains Lactobacillus Sporogenes. L Sporogense has recently been found to produce the beneficial lactic acid that improves probiotic shelf life and is able to survive the digestive processes in the stomach and thrive and support the metabolic processes in the intestinal tract. Used according to directions BioNue™ will support you in moving forward on your path to a healthy, well functioning digestive system and vibrant health.

Joanna Ransier is a registered nurse specializing in Integrative Medicine modalities, the energy systems of the body, and stress resilience.

HealthWalk is a healthcare company which offers leading edge, scientifically proven and effective products and services that provide an integrated healthcare system for a vibrant life. HealthWalk offers non-invasive and effective long-term support to enable the body’s own innate powers to do the healing. One of their services is to provide guidance on healthy nutrition based on your individual needs and life style, juicing, whole food blending, nutritious meal plans and supplements, including HealthWalk’s Rupronol™ http://healthwalk.com/health-walk-product.aspx?ID=5 (to fend off viruses and bacteria). HealthWalk’s mission: Vibrant health, you can attain it and we are here to support you on your path to regaining and maintaining it. You can read and subscribe to their monthly newsletter at http://healthwalk.com/health-walk-newsletter-list.aspx. For more information, go to HealthWalk.com.

Summertime: Will the Living Be Easier on Wall Street?

by Natalie Pace.

Includes my Hot News on Cool Stocks List.

General Stock Market Performance

Market Commentary
The International Monetary Fund said total losses due to the financial market turmoil may grow to $945 billion. This is a substantial increase from the current write-down total of $232 billion, according to Bloomberg.com. With such a dramatic (and potentially catastrophic shock to the financial markets), I consulted global strategist Marc Miles, who commented by email:

Photo by: Stacie Isabella Turk, Ribbonhead.com ©2008 Stylist: Arlene Hylton-Campbel, 818-710-0079

It turns out we did see why in the same month that Marc issued this statement to me. He sent it on April 9, 2008.

Since that time, the markets have had quite a rally, clawing back almost to the position they started the year on.

Does that mean I like the marketplace for the summer? While I have huge respect for Dr. Miles, I just don’t have that much faith in the intelligence of this mini-rally. It smells to me of desperate money managers and brokers trying to capitalize on April (taxes) client meetings by saying that everything is cheap.

The underlying fundamentals are the worst I’ve seen since I began publishing in 2002. GDP growth rate has flat-lined. Oil is over $100/barrel. Companies are laying off employees. Inflation is being under-reported (because it excludes gas and food, two of the biggest drains on the consumer’s wallet). In fact, I’ve got to search long and hard for any shade of optimism in the marketplace. The Chief Optimism Officer of years past, economist Dr. Gary Becker, who usually pulls a positive productivity number out of his hat to explain why America will do well even though we have only three workers for every retiring Baby Boomer, wasn’t very rosy last week when I ran into him at the Milken Global Conference. The best he could say was, "It’s going to get worse, but I don’t anticipate a major depression."

Thus, though I typically don’t follow the adage, "Sell in May and go away," (because there are too many conflicting, underlying factors that vary year by year), this year, I’m a fan of taking any profit any time you can get your hands on one. When the fundamentals don’t support a market run-up, the support mechanism for the increase in share prices is hot air – headlines that have shifted away from foreclosures and toward another fad or money managers talking as fast as they can to keep their job. If there is a need for alarming headlines between now and September, there are many startling facts which can be trotted out to scare the heck out of investors, including the likely truth that the complete fall-out of the subprime mortgages is not over, nor is the real estate pullback, which means lower net worth for each household in the U.S., which means no equity ATM to keep the economy running on the consumer wallet and lower profits which constrict corporate spending. Without consumer spending, corporation spending or real estate values, how can Wall Street continue to impress quarterly earnings junkies?

Additionally, you’ve got a lot of money managers, hedge fund managers and high net worth investors who are plenty unhappy with the returns they’ve made since January 2007. That’s when there is an extreme amount of pressure to take on additional risk and make some gains any way anyhow. You’ll see opportunistic investing in short windows. When the market drops, there will be a surge in buying, in the hopes of a run-up in a short window and some gains. When you say a dramatic run-up, there will be short-selling and put options, trying to capitalize on the bear market (and pulling down the prices with the sheer weight and power of the big investor plays). Take a look at just how many times the market has seesawed since January and you’ll see what I’m talking about. You’ll also see that we are currently poised at the top of the trading range this year, which could mean now is ripe for another pullback.

Source: MoneyCentral.msn.com

So, my mantra this month really isn’t "Sell in May and go away." It’s: "Take your profits early and often." If you’ve made gains above 12% in your trading portfolio, take them. Be patient about buying back in. (Remember: this applies to your trading portfolio. In your nest egg, you should be taking a longer view.) Then reread the "Recession Proof Your Portfolio" and "Trading Tips for Turbulent Times" articles from the volume 5, issue 2 NataliePace.com ezine to make sure that you’ve got your defensive game on.

Special Note on Google:
The Dow Jones Industrial Average has gained 650 points since the mid-month update on Monday, April 14, 2008. In keeping with the policy of short-term profit taking, please note that the Google share price hit $593 today. Those who bought Google at $412 when we highlighted it on the Hot News list earlier this year have made over 44% gains. Good enough for your trading portfolio in the crazy 2008 marketplace.

The current market climate is still hostile, and the corrections of share prices might not yet be over. In other words, you might still be in a position to buy Google at a lower price over the next 18 months, and if you sold Google for a gain, rather than buying it at it’s high, you will be very happy that you are abiding by my mandate of "taking your profits early and often."

In fact, if you are really interested in trying to capture gains, you might even consider a Google put. Not because Google is a bad company, but because Google is volatile and the market trend has been reversing itself severely when it hits the ceiling. (If you do not know what a Google put is, consider coming to the May Retreat in Santa Monica, California.) A rising tide lifts all ships. A sinking tide grounds all ships.

Win the May Retreat!
How would you like an opportunity to win a free admission to the May Get Rich and Healthy Retreat in Santa Monica, California. Renew your subscription now at the three month subscription rate, and you will receive nine months free and you will be entered in the Subscribers only drawing to come to the May 2008 retreat. (12 months for $75 means that you are paying LESS THAN LUNCH to receive the news, information and education that could be your meal ticket to the rich life!) You must renew your subscription before Mother’s Day, May 11, 2008, to be eligible for the chance to win. Get more information on the retreat on the home page at NataliePace.com, under the Get Rich and Healthy banner ad.

Track Record of our Reporting
While the markets have fallen in 2008, the Hot News and Cooling Off lists below have a winning track record – in bear and bull market years. 18 companies listed below have performed quite strongly, while the year has stumbled with negative returns, versus just seven that went in the opposite direction of the reporting. Even during the flat year of 2007, our featured companies had outstanding performance between Oct. 2006 and June 2007! 4 out of 9 companies – almost half – doubled or more from the time they were featured to the time they were taken off of the list. 48% of the companies featured in my stock newsletter between 2002 and 2005 – 25 out of 52 companies -- DOUBLED as well, and the majority of the remaining 52% well outperformed the marketplace. (See the chart in the article, "25 of Our Companies Have Doubled," from volume 4, issue 4, the April 2007 ezine, for a listing of companies.)

3 out of 5 Company of the Year selections more than doubled.  My 2003, 2004 and 2007 Companies of the Year have posted up to 9000% gains (Taser), up to 690% gains (Opsware) and up to 215% gains (Suntech Power Holdings), respectively.  MySpace, my 2006 Company of the Year, was a large part of News Corp’s success with shareholders that year.  Only OSI Pharmaceuticals, my 2005 Company of the Year, has lost money.  So three out of five are superperformers, one is performing well above the market and one is down. That’s the kind of record that puts you on top on Wall Street.  (I launched my first publication on 11.15.02, and featured the first Company of the Year on 1.1.03.)

TipsTraders.com continues to list me as a Highly Recommended Stock Picker, with their independent ranking system, where I’ve repeatedly occupied the #1 position. Some of our best picks include: Bioteq Environmental (BQE) +144%, Blockbuster Video (BBI) +82.5%, Genentech (DNA) +415%, Google (GOOG) +545%, Las Vegas Sands (LVS) +139%, LifeCell (LIFC) +180%, Macerich (MAC) +150%, Opsware (OPSW) +690%, Rio Tinto (RTP) +145%, Sohu (SOHU) +150%, Suntech Power Holdings (STP) +107%, Taser (TASR) up to 9000% gains and World Water & Solar (WWAT) +181%.

Market Movers:
The Bureau of Economic Analysis released its advance report on the 1st quarter 2008 GDP growth on April 30^th. The numbers came in at .6% -- a screeching halt from the robust 4.9% GDP growth in the 3^rd quarter of 2007. The next GDP growth report – preliminary estimates for the 1^st quarter 2008 GDP growth – will be released on May 29, 2008. This is a report that will be widely watched by institutional investors because it also includes corporate profitability for the first quarter 2008, so expect May 29th to be another wild ride in the markets.

For more BEA release dates, go to the BEA.gov website and be sure to visit the NataliePace.com calendar section often.

The Federal Open Market Committee and Monetary Policy
The Federal Open Market Committee has dropped the Fed Fund Rate each of the last six sessions. The Fed funds rate currently stands at two percent. Expect the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee to continue to ease investor worries, while monitoring inflation. The prevailing sentiment is still weak growth, a continued housing slump, more subprime foreclosures, a weak dollar, anemic consumer spending, turmoil in banks and financial services, rising gas and food prices and rising unemployment. (Yikes!)

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITES AND INFORMATION:

1. FOMC Information: Interested in reading the press release of the April 29-30, 2008 FOMC meeting for yourself? You can. The official Federal Reserve document is available online. Click on FOMC, or go to FederalReserve.gov, to read! According to the press release, "Economic activity remains weak. Household and business spending has been subdued and labor markets have softened further. Financial markets remain under considerable stress, and tight credit conditions and the deepening housing contraction are likely to weigh on economic growth over the next few quarters."

The tentative FOMC meeting schedule for the 2008 calendar is: June 24-25, 2008 (Tuesday-Wednesday), August 5, 2008 (Tuesday), September 16, 2008 (Tuesday), October 28-29, 2008 (Tuesday-Wednesday), December 16, 2008 (Tuesday).

2. Calendar Section: Conferences, Online Chats and more: Check out the Calendar section of NataliePace.com regularly. There are many wonderful opportunities to chat one-on-one with millionaire money managers, life coaches, economists, respected money gurus, real estate veterans and CEOs! Be sure to check out the dates of the mid-month Hot News on Cool Stocks Update and the publication date of our next ezine. Get more information on how to best use our articles in the FAQs article, located under the Investor Edu link on the home page of NataliePace.com.
   
   
3. Survey Results: Hey Mom. What do you want for Mother’s Day? Take the survey if you’re a mom and check out the results if you are honoring Mom!

Hot Stocks List
Investors who "never pay retail," note that highlighted stocks are trading at their 52-week lows or near the price featured in NataliePace.com’s article. This may be a good buying opportunity. The companies that are listed below which are not highlighted may not be in a good buying range, but they appear to be poised to continue performing well (if you have already purchased them). There are never any guarantees in life, and all stocks are risk-based investments. Consult your certified financial planner before making any changes to your investment strategy.

Hot News List (highlighted). Be sure that you are buying low.
Altair Nanotechnology (ALTI)
Genentech (DNA)
Kinetic Concepts (KCI)
Smith & Nephew (SNN)
U.S. Gold (UXG)
Wisdom Tree (WSDT)
World Water & Solar (WWAT)

DELETIONS (Remember to take your profits early and often):
Echelon
General Electric
Google (deleted on 4.21.08)
Johnson & Johnson (deleted on 5.5.08)
LDK Solar
Microsoft
Satcon
Suntech Power Holdings
Trina Solar Ltd.
World Water & Solar
Zoltec

HOT NEWS on COOL STOCKS LIST

Recently Deleted: Take your profits early and often!

Stocks to Watch
Some of these are great companies that we’re thinking of adding to the Hot List and some are stinkers we’re thinking of adding to the Cooling Off List.  Read carefully to identify which is which!  

Note that right now most of our favorite companies are on the Watch List, anticipating continued weakening of the stock market, and share prices.

Recent Additions:
None.

Recent Deletions:
Apple Computer (AAPL) (moved to the Cooling Off List)
Genentech (DNA) (moved to the Hot List)
Smith & Nephew (SNN) (moved to the Hot List)

Cooling Off Stocks List (may be Poised for a Decline in Share Price).
Note: The companies listed in bold have recently been added to this cooling off list and/or may be currently poised for a decline in value. Investors who have them in their portfolio should read the recent news and consider whether it is time to sell and take profits, dump losses, short the position and/or simply weather the storms, while keeping the company in their long-term portfolio. At any rate, always consult your certified financial partner before making adjustments to your portfolio. (Again, note that the stocks on this chart are expected to go DOWN in price.)

Highlighted Companies (Cooling Off List):
Apple Computer (AAPL)
Boston Properties (BXP)
Google (GOOG)
Macerich (MAC)
Medicis (MRX)
Mentor (MNT)

Recently Deleted:
Fannie Mae on 2.11.08

Please note: NataliePace.com does not act or operate like a broker. We are a publishing, media and information center. This article is intended to educate and inform individual investors, and, thus, to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. The publicly traded companies mentioned in this article are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations. ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies.

Investors should NOT be using the Hot News on Cool Stocks list or the Cooling Off list to trade their nest eggs. Your retirement plan should reflect a long, safe strategy, which has been designed with the assistance of a financial professional who is familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge and patience.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable however NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument. Securities, financial instruments or strategies mentioned herein may not be suitable for all investors.

NataliePace.com Calendar:

Don’t miss Pangea Day on May 10^th, a global event harnessing the power of film to inspire and compel social change.

The NataliePace.com Calendar section features conferences, retreats, educational opportunities, cultural events, galas, market events and online chats with executives and VIPs. Stay plugged in! Visit our calendar section often.

See below for just a few of the amazing educational and networking opportunities that world-class organizations are offering for you. To access links to the event website and registration, go to the Calendar section at NataliePace.com.

5th Annual Inspiration Awards, Beverly Hills, CA
Friday, May 9th, 2008
12:00PM through 2:30PM PT
Each year, Step Up Women's Network rolls out the red carpet & gathers 700 members, celebrity supporters, industry elite, & community insiders to honor 3 women who embody the spirit of Step Up through their philanthropic impact in the lives of women & girls.

2006 TED Prize winner Jehane Noujaim Director of Control Room Pangea Day founder Pangea Day Saturday, May 10th, 2008 A global film event harnessing the power of film to inspire and compel social change.

Alternative Fuels & Vehicles Conference, Las Vegas, NV
Sunday, May 11th, 2008
14th annual conference will run from May 11-14, 2008 in Las Vegas, NV. Waste Management, UPS, the United States Postal Service, the City of Dallas and Wal-Mart all know that green is gold. 200 experts discuss economics, market opportunities, technology,

Home Design Seminar, New York
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
6:30PM through 8:30PM ET
This seminar features information from Acorn Homes, Deck House and Dwell Homes by Empyrean to help you transform your land into a custom home perfectly suited for your location and lifestyle.

Get Rich and Green Retreat 102 with Natalie Pace, Santa Monica, CA
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
How would you live if you had all the money in the world? Learn green investing, sustainable living and play the billionaire game with Natalie Pace, #1 stock picker and the most trusted name in financial news.

Home Design Open House, Acton, MA
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
4:00PM through 8:00PM ET
A collaborative open house with presentation, tours and reception. Featuring Empyrean International and Design New England.

Puccini's Tosca at the Los Angeles Opera
Saturday, May 17th, 2008
7:00PM through 11:00PM PT
Political power and its abuse intensify the tragic love triangle between the fiery diva Floria Tosca, the handsome painter Mario Cavaradossi, and the sadistic police chief Baron Scarpia.

Premium Subscriber Online Chat with Natalie Pace
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008
8:45AM through 9:30AM PT
Hot industries, like solar energy, and sink-holes, like the financials. What's the best strategy for the next few months? Learn trading tips for turbulent times, summer doldrums and prep for the Back to School Stock Sales.

21 Leaders Gala, NYC
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008
6:00PM through 10:00PM
Women's eNews honors their 2008 21 Leaders for the 21st Century, an awe-inspiring reader-nominated list, with each honoree making news, often at great personal risk. Hosted by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia!

Mid-Month Update: Hot News on Cool Stocks
Monday, May 26th, 2008
12:00PM through 5:00PM PT
The mid-month update of the hot news on cool stocks report will be published on or before 5:00 p.m. PT. Check online before noon, just in case we get it out early!

GDP 1Q 2008 report (advance)
Thursday, May 29th, 2008
8:30AM ET
The U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA.gov) releases its advance report on GDP growth in the 1st quarter of 2008.

Fridays Off the 405, The Getty Center, LA, CA
Friday, May 30th, 2008
6:00PM through 9:00PM PT
A once-a-month after-work event mixing art and entertainment where you can socialize, tour the galleries, and revel in the end of the workweek in a casual, spontaneous atmosphere. All Fridays Off the 405 feature live music and a cash bar.

Wind Power 2008 Conference: Houston, TX
Sunday, June 1st, 2008
8:00AM through 8:00PM CT
June 1-4, 2008. 3 days of conference sessions, an interactive tradeshow of wind energy products and services, and numerous networking opportunities.

New NataliePace.com Ezine!
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
1:00PM through 7:00PM PT
The new June 2008 ezine will be posted between 9 a.m. ET and 8 p.m. PT. Check back early and often so that you don't miss it!

Business Goes Green Expo: San Jose, CA
Friday, June 6th, 2008
This business summit will show how going green is good for the bottom line!

Puccini's La Rondine
Saturday, June 7th, 2008
7:00PM through 11:00PM PT
LA Opera celebrates Puccini's 150th Anniversary and the final performances of the season! Don't miss opera at its finest with one of the most respected composers in this field.

Business Goes Green Expo: Las Vegas, NV
Thursday, June 19th, 2008
Climate change, renewable resources, carbon footprint, energy consumption, water conservation, responsible investing, global supply chain, and alternative fuels -- terms that once were used only by environmental activists are now considered essential to growth.

Federal Open Market Committee Meeting
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 and Wednesday, June 25^th, 2008
8:00AM through 5:00PM ET
The Federal Reserve Board governors meet to determine whether inflation is more of a factor than the housing pullback and subprime defaults. Will the Feds keep the rate where it is, raise it or lower it?

Fridays Off the 405, The Getty Center, LA, CA
Friday, June 27th, 2008
6:00PM through 9:00PM PT
A once-a-month after-work event mixing art and entertainment where you can socialize, tour the galleries, and revel in the end of the workweek in a casual, spontaneous atmosphere. All Fridays Off the 405 feature live music and a cash bar.

NOTICE: NataliePace.com is NOT a stock brokerage service, and does not operate or act as one.