Disney Media Networks Co-Chairman Ann M. Sweeney: Disney's "E" Ticket To The Future.

Anne Sweeney Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks President, Disney-ABC Television Group PHOTO CREDIT: ABC/BOB D'AMICO

On January 25, 2006, Ms. Sweeney was the featured speaker in the Pepperdine University, Graziadio School of Business and Management Dean's Executive Leadership Series held in Malibu, California. When the Dean of the Pepperdine Business school introduced her, she commented on the statistics showing that one third of highly qualified women leave the large corporate workplace to raise a family, start their own business or become involved in the non-profit or community service arena. Ann Sweeney is one of the better-known survivors of corporate America, one who has a great family and a great job. She is a woman who has been described as a "steel fist in a velvet glove."

"The Role of the Entrepreneur in an Established Business"
Petite but passionate, Ms. Sweeney began by saying there is a changing field of players in the media and entertainment business. Old media, which has been described as "sluggish and slow," and new media, which has been described as "innovative and original," are joining forces to capitalize on new media delivery innovations like the I-pod and video on demand (VOD). The sold out crowd waited on the edge of their seats, hoping Ms. Sweeney would comment on the just announced merger of Disney and Pixar.

They were not disappointed. Beginning with the innovative partnership arrangements made with Apple and the almost perfect alignment of partners' interest in providing the consumer delivery on demand for both content and mobility, she said there were over 2.1 million downloads of content in the first 90 days of offering the initial product from the Apple partnership. Subscription video on demand, Disney movies and original programming content and cablevision delivery on demand (DOD) are all integral pieces of the puzzle. She said that, in her case, in order to succeed you need to have a great love for chaos and enjoy the challenge of solving the puzzle.

The new handheld devices carried by children, teenagers and adults alike are pulling viewers away from television networks. This shift is challenging the traditional rules of companies and providing new perspectives in viewer platform agendas and revenues. Favorable revenue sharing arrangements have altered the distribution of television content significantly, especially when it comes to pod casting and text messaging. Sweeney cited ABC News now as an example of this new paradigm. Meeting consumer needs is a sound growth strategy, especially when you have brand recognition from a content provider, such as Disney, and cooperation from a distribution partner, like Verizon, in protecting content and thwarting piracy.

A belief that market expansion into new technology delivery distribution avenues will lead to revenue expansion drives the Disney/Pixar/ABC partnerships of the future. An understanding that growing theme parks and growing advertising and content revenues are not the same means current Disney strategic growth plans for international expansion have changed radically. There is more focus on the local region, more regional content, and the expertise of native workers will drive growth in Japan, Latin America, and the United Kingdom. Partnerships with technology partners in Korea, who are believed to be among the most technically advanced in the world, will provide market-specific ABC content in that part of the world.

According to Ms. Sweeney, new users for video on demand are estimated to go from 22 million in 2005 to 46 million in 2010. We are now living in the borderless landscape created by TIVO and DVD players. Apple's Steve Jobs told Ann Sweeney 32 million I-Pod devices were sold in 2004. She said 14 million were sold in the fourth quarter of 2005. Her passion came through loud and clear when she spoke of the need for internal entrepreneurs, especially when working in a multi-platform digital world. The key to Google's $5.5 billion in advertising income is not in reaching the biggest market, according to Sweeney, but in hundreds of thousands of small markets through individual searches guided with "pay per click" advertising revenues. She believes her company needs to develop a broad, interactive advertising market vehicle, closely connected to consumers worldwide, as well.

The rigid rules of production and distribution historically developed for the television, radio, and broadcast media need to be changed to prevent distribution limits on consumers. Traditional industry rules dictating when a program can be aired and how often she believes are a barrier to consumer satisfaction and will be changed. The exciting concept of "Peer to Peer" file sharing requires out of the box entrepreneurial thinking in a business that needs to encourage, attract and keep the vision growing with both men and women innovators.

How does Disney keep that vision? By hiring smart people, letting them do their jobs and keeping conversations going. When Ms. Sweeney hires someone, she asks questions that determine how much intellectual curiosity they possess. She believes this is required to lead and manage organizational and industry change.

Fearlessness is a requirement as the future unfolds and the revenue growth explodes or implodes. She gave high marks to the post Eisner Disney management team for invigorating the company and warning all to beware growth in content delivery at the expense of existing revenue sources. Ms. Sweeney said she went to school to be a teacher and found out it was not her cup of tea. Children's education through entertainment provided a better road to success.

Author's notes on Disney Pixar Merger & the price of the "E" ticket ride.
Disney paid $7.4 billion for Pixar or 2.3 Disney shares for each Pixar share. Disney (symbol DIS) also announced a $5.85 billion share buyback program (which will be partially financed by the $1 billion in cash currently earning interest at Pixar). The share buy back program will cushion earnings at the expense of bondholders. Slow growth Disney and big growth Pixar might create a new giant in the magic kingdom. The media industry is an industry in transition as broadband penetration increases, and people spend more hours online (as opposed to watching television). Challenges will include retaining existing customers and attracting new customers. Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif Cohen in a September 2005 report on the Media Industry cited the main issues as the risk of cannibalization, new entrants and cost creep. Changing the traditional rules of engagement for the media industry will force the importance of attacking opportunity and defending core businesses. Although in the early stages of the growth cycle, the digital opportunity should contribute 10%+ growth from 2005 - 2010. For a side-by-side comparison of Disney and Pixar go to www.smartmoney.com and run the compare function using the DIS and PIXR symbols. Then click on the various comparisons for growth in earnings, debt, revenue, and other financial metrics.

As for Ann Sweeney. Good luck to her and we hope that Steve Jobs, as the biggest shareholder of the combined company, with 7% of the shares outstanding, does not serve up a poisoned apple, like the one given to Snow White in the now famous Disney classic.

Meri Anne Beck-Woods is Chairman and CFO of Odyssey Advisors LLC, an independent investment advisory firm specializing in equities and fixed income. Meri Anne is a co-author of the book Inspiration to Realization where her chapter "How the millionaire next door can be you" speaks to everyone's ability to become a millionaire. She can be contacted at www.odysseyadvisors.com or 310.568.4700.

Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable however Odyssey Advisors LLC does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this material 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.

The Prosperity Game.

by Jerry and Esther Hicks.

Play the Game of Millionaires to Become One. An excerpt from the book Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires

On the first day, deposit $1,000. And spend it. In other words, make a $1,000 deposit entry into your checkbook register, then write out checks to spend those dollars. You could spend your money all in one place, using one check, or you could spend it for several different things, using several different checks. The point of the game is to have fun thinking about what you would like to purchase, and to enjoy the process of actually writing out the checks.

Be descriptive on the memo portion of the check. For example: For a beautiful writing pen or Great running shoes or Membership at Gordon's Health Spa. You can spend it all today, or save some of it for another day. However, we encourage you to do your best to spend it today, because tomorrow you will be making another wonderful deposit.

On the second day, deposit $2,000.
On the third day, deposit $3,000.
On the fourth day, deposit $4,000.

When you reach day 50, deposit $50,000. When you reach day 300, deposit $300,000. If you play this game every day for one year, you will have deposited and spent more than $66 million.

You will be benefiting by increasing your ability to imagine. In other words, you will discover, as you play the game for a few weeks, that it will begin to take real concentration to spend that much money. And so, your ability to imagine will expand tremendously.

Most of our physical friends really do not exercise their imagination very much. Most people offer their vibrations almost exclusively in response to what they are observing, but by playing this game, you will find yourself reaching for new ideas, and in time, you will feel the expansion of your own desire and expectation. In doing so, you will benefit by shifting your point of attraction.

You see, the Universe is responding to your vibrational offering, not to your current state of being. So, if you are giving your attention only to your current state of being, then your future evolves much the same. But if you are giving focused attention to these wonderful expanding ideas that this game evokes from you, the Universe now responds to the vibrations of those thoughts.

The Universe makes no distinction between the vibration you offer in response to what you are living and the vibration that you offer in response to what you are imagining, so this Prosperity Game Process is a powerful tool for shifting your vibrational point of attraction.

You can play the game for a short time, or you can play it for an entire year or more. Whatever you choose is appropriate. It may feel awkward in the beginning, but the longer you play the game, the more expansive your imagination will become. And as your imagination expands and you focus on the spirit of fun and expansion, your point of attraction will shift.

By writing the checks, using your imagination, writing the memos, focusing as you write, and feeling no resistance as you write the checks because there is no fear of overspending, you will achieve what is necessary in the achievement of anything: You will have made a statement of desire while you are in the state of non-resistance, or better said, in the state of allowing.

So, not only will you have the benefit of an expanded imagination, but your point of attraction will shift, and your life experience will then shift as well. Not only will your financial situation improve, but all manner of things that you have focused upon with pleasure will begin to flow into your experience.

You can start the game or stop it, and you can play it in any way you like. There are no rules; there is nothing that you should or should not do. In other words, pick it up and play with it. Spend as much as you want. But the important thing is: Do your best to exercise your imagination.

If you were a sculptor on your first day of sculpting, you would not take your big clump of clay and throw it down on the table and say, "Oh, it didn't turn out right." You would mold it. You would get better at it. You would get more clay. You would get different-colored clay. You would find a way to continue to evolve in your creative endeavor. And yet, when it comes to the creation that you mold with the clay of the Energy that creates worlds, most of you make no conscious effort to direct your thought. In other words, it is as if somebody else took the clay and threw it down there, and now you spend your life just talking about how it looks.

"Well, that didn't turn out very good. My parents should have done something different about that," or "The economy should be doing something different than that," or "There is injustice or unfairness," or "I don't like the way somebody else dealt with that." And we say, Get your hands in your own clay! Summon the Energy through the power of your desire, and mold it through the power of your imagination.

A friend said to us recently, "Abraham, I don't think you care if my lover ever comes to me. I think you want me to get so good at imagining him that I don't notice that he's not here." And we said, That is exactly right, because when you are imagining that he is here, then, in your joy, in that moment, you vibrate in a place where you summon and allow GOD Force-Life Force-to flow through you. And there is nothing more wonderful than that.

And then we said, Oh, and by the way, when you get there, he cannot not come. But as long as your desire for him to come is more about your awareness that he has not come, not only can he not come, but the misery that you are feeling in that moment is because you are choosing a vibration that does not allow the Energy that your desire is summoning.

Joyously playing this Prosperity Game will not only improve your financial state of being, but every aspect of your life will improve as well. It will not only help you activate more vibrations around things that you want, but it will assist you in focusing, more of the time, in a way that allows the things that you want to flow into your experience.

Playing this game will cause you to offer a more expansive, expectant vibration. And it is our promise to you that manifestations will begin to arrive in response to your changed vibration.

Gold Fever: China's Got It. Should You?

by Natalie Pace, CEO, NataliePace.com

Some are speculating that China’s demand for commodities might also indicate a lust for gold, as a hedge against inflation in their own economy and to diversify their Central Bank reserves. Indeed, since 2000, China has added 50% to their gold reserves, adding over 200 tons of gold reserves between 2000 and 2002 , for a reported current reserve of 600 tons, according to the World Gold Council.

Source: World Gold Council Data provided by: The Milken Insitute

It makes sense that the Chinese demand for copper (a key ingredient in a major Chinese export - computers), cement (which is necessary for bringing China out of the "1800s" into modern-day), oil and other urban commodities will continue unabated, until or unless the world demand for computers and the Chinese need for infrastructure is sated. But gold is an emotional metal, and thus, speculating on China's gold lust is far more speculative. Paul Woods, the CEO of Odyssey Advisors, writes, "I've thought about owning gold, but the kook factor is a bit too high. Some of the folks that own gold also own bomb shelters, belong to the local militia, and believe that all paper currency will become worthless." Mr. Woods believes that there are probably enough "nuts" around to push gold prices up in 2006, but is investing "in companies that produce the things that China needs to grow."

Despite his rational argument, Paul Woods is a lone bear in the woods. Many respected Wall Street veterans are running all over themselves to declare gold the security play for 2006. Citigroup Gold Analyst John Hill believes "there are favorable catalysts for gold both in the short-term (i.e., supply/demand factors) and in the long-term (i.e., macroeconomic factors)." Jim Jubak puts it in plain English, saying, "Adjust for inflation, and the 1980 high [of $850] is actually about $2,100 an ounce in today's dollars. So instead of being 65% of the way to the historical high, we're only about 25% of the way there."

Respected gold mining executives are hinting that gold prices are positioned to spike on demand by the central governments of China, Russia and others. Indeed, Rob McEwen, the former Chairman and CEO of Goldcorp, has sparked investor interest in his new company, U.S. Gold, partially by alluding to China and Russia as big buyers, saying, "Russia has said they would like to double their gold holdings... China might diversify some assets in gold."

The AMEX Gold Bug Index (amex: $HUI.X) is up 55% over the last twelve months, in an otherwise flat, but volatile market. Since January 2005, gold mining mid-caps, like Goldcorp, have enjoyed 80% gains, while the weighty big cap Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) has more than doubled its girth. Goldcorp (NYSE: GG) has rewarded investors 800% over the last five years. There is no doubt that gold is hot. The question is, are things just heating up and just how high can it go?

Mr. Wong doesn't think people should bank too much on China gobbling up gold in the open markets, given that so many traders speculated on copper prices spiking further, only to be stuck in the same trading range for years. "I don't think people should speculate too much on the Chinese appetite for gold," Mr. Wong notes. "Even if the Chinese bankers' goal is to diversify their reserve, they can hold more Euros, and other currencies of their close trading partners, like India, Japan, Korea, Europe and Thailand."

However, as Jim Jubak puts it, "When times get uncertain, the uncertain buy gold." There are plenty of frightening headlines warning of terrorism, Inflation, high oil prices, rising interest rates, a real estate "bubble," MRSA, bird flu, and more, but none of these threats come close to the real crises that were occurring when gold fever was at $850 an ounce. We can't forget that gold's peak in 1980 coincided with President Jimmy Carter's lame duck year in office, a time darkened with the Iranian Hostage Crisis, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, an energy crisis, gas rationing in the U.S., sky-high inflation, double-digit interest rates and low consumer confidence. People were lining up to sell the gold in their teeth at $850 an ounce. Those were the worst of times.

China, the world's sleeping giant, is awake, but it is a lot more certain that he's got to build a home, work and eat, than that he's going to buy jewelry. Speculating on gold prices rising above Citigroup Investment Research's forecasts of average $470 per ounce for 2006 and $490 per ounce for 2007 could be risky. Buying in at five-year highs expecting a substantial return in a year or two would be high-stakes gambling.

Gold is an emotional play, and emotional plays are some of the hardest to capitalize on. Proceed with caution, and prepare to have to hang on through tough times in order to reap your rewards.

Other Articles of Interest:
1. Review the Gold Stock Report Card on NataliePace.com. The Gold Report Card lines up key financials of major gold companies, including price, price to earning ratio, insider trading, market capitalization, sales, income and breaking news.
2. Read an exclusive interview with the former Chairman and CEO of Goldcorp, Rob McEwen.
3. Take a survey and let us know which sector you are putting your money in on the home page of NataliePace.com. (Click on the survey and you will go to a page where you can vote in all three of NataliePace.com's current surveys.)

Sitting on a Gold Mine.

by Natalie Pace

Exclusive Q&A with Celebrated (Former) Goldcorp CEO, Rob McEwen.

Rob McEwen, Chairman and CEO, U.S. Gold Photo Credit: Norm Bettis

2002 was a record year for veteran gold mining executive, Rob McEwen. He won Northern Miner's Man of the Year Award, Ernst & Young's Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Energy Category; and the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada's Developer of the Year award. Under his leadership, Goldcorp was named one of Fast Company magazine's 50 Companies of Innovation, and was selected by Business Week magazine as one of the 50 most innovative companies on the web.

After 18 years leading Goldcorp, McEwen could have been enjoying the golden years of his career. As Goldcorp's Chairman and CEO, he'd survived a bitter 46-month labor strike, found new reserves in a tapped-out mine, invented the Goldcorp Principle (now an industry standard for identifying new reserves through open-sourcing), won industry awards, received media recognition, attracted investors and positioned the market capitalization of Goldcorp to rocket from $50 million to its current cap of $8.707 billion.

As Goldcorp's largest individual shareholder, McEwen doesn't need more money. And as the most celebrated mining executive in the world, McEwen's position as Chairman and CEO of Goldcorp was secure. So why did he leave that throne to start digging in the Nevada desert with a little known corporation that trades off the boards?

U.S. Gold is not producing gold at this time. They are hoping to discover gold in the "Lower" level on their land. Sound too speculative for your blood? So far, it's paying off for McEwen, who bought 33% of the company for $4 million on July 29, 2005. U.S. Gold now has a market capitalization of $168 million, giving McEwen's 11.1 million shares a value of over $56 million.

But will it pay off for investors? Should you bet $5.05 per share that McEwen can get a listing for his new company, strike gold, and produce metal at a reasonable cost, all at a time when the gold mining industry is experiencing a critical labor and materials shortage?

Is McEwen crazy for thinking he can strike gold twice in one lifetime? We asked that and more in the following exclusive interview between U.S. Gold's Chairman and CEO, Rob McEwen and Natalie Pace, CEO, NataliePace.com.

Natalie -- When you announced that you were leaving Goldcorp, you said that Goldcorp had grown beyond your skill sets. That statement seemed so outlandish, given all of your achievements, that many journalists, including me, thought it was a public relations ploy to keep investors from jumping ship.

Robert McEwen -- I read about other companies where the founder/entrepreneur built it up to a certain point, and then sometimes the company just stalls. We had gotten to a point where we needed something to take it to the next step. I came to the conclusion that it wasn't a perfect match for me, that there were signs and room for change and improvement.

Surely the Board disagreed with you...

The board said, "Why? Everything is going so well. We're profitable and low cost." Well, yes, that was true, but with all the new regulatory issues, the job became more procedural, and not as spontaneous.

And now, Ian Telfer, the former CEO of Wheaton River, is Goldcorp's President and Chief Executive Officer, Doug Holtby is the Chairman of Board and you are simply the largest individual shareholder...

When we bought Wheaton River, we said their management would end up running Goldcorp. They said, "Really?" Wheaton River was producing the same amount of gold at a lower cost because they were already producing copper, which brought their cost down. We were able to generate three times the cash flow, three times the earnings per share, increase reserves by 100 percent, and do it all by issuing 70 percent of the company. They had no debt. The combined company had $600-700 million in cash or liquid assets. That put us in a very good position for the next step. In February 2005, we completed the purchase of Wheaton and Ian Telfer became president. I'll watch this because I'm the largest individual shareholder, but I was basically unemployed. Since then I've made major investments in four companies, and two, I've become CEO of.

[NataliePace.com note: Mr. McEwen is the CEO of U.S. Gold and Lexam Explorations.]

According to U.S. Gold spokesperson, Ian Ball, you have had ongoing discussions with AMEX, and plan to file an application "in the near future." What further actions do you need to take before qualifying for a listing on the big boards? (NataliePace.com note: currently U.S. Gold is being traded off the boards, under the symbol, USGL.)

We needed a shareholder's meeting, which was in November 2005. We had to increase the number of shares that could be issued and put the corporation in a position that could move forward. We hired Ann Carpenter, who had been in the industry for more than 20 years, a very capable individual. She came in as President and COO. There were changes to the board, where we added two new directors, Michele Ashby, who founded the Denver Gold Group (the largest gathering of gold institutional investors), and Dr. Leanne Baker, who spent a lot of time running Salomon Smith Barney's research department. Once we got the corporation and board ready, we get to go around Nevada talking about gold and U.S. Gold. We'll be drilling in the early spring.

It's important for potential investors to understand just how speculative an investment in U.S. Gold is at this point. When you talk about drilling, you are really talking about trying to discover, not mine, gold.

What intrigued me is that the property is sitting along a fissure, a crack in the Earth. The Carlin Trend is thought to hold 180 million ounces, with more than 60 million of it produced. Nevada is the back yard for the largest gold companies in the world--Newmont, Barrick, Placer Dome. This area has the second highest concentration in the world, behind South Africa, and is the third largest producer of gold, outside of Australia and South Africa. It has the geopolitical benefit of being in Nevada. Nevada is a mining friendly state, and U.S. Gold's property is located 8-10 miles away from a major discovery made in 2003. U.S. Gold owns 100 percent of this property, along the same trend as the discovery property.

Your neighbor, Nevada Pacific Gold reported a discovery of Lower Plate rock on its property, but U.S. Gold has never attempted to drill that deeply before, right?

The majority of the exploration has been done close to surface. The Cortez Trend goes to the Lower Plate, so the focus is to look at deeper drilling. I look at this area, this trend, and think of it like a sandwich. The top slice is Placer and Newmont; the bottom slice is Newmont, Placer and Barrick. In the middle is the meat of the sandwich, where a large number of exploration companies with weak treasuries have fragmented their ownership, and they don't have any market following. If you can go in and consolidate these interests and create a high profile with a junior company, it will be attractive to investors who believe that a discovery is possible in this district.

If anyone can strike gold, consolidate companies, get a big board listing and attract investors, you're certainly at the top of the list. After all, you're just repeating what you did so successfully at Goldcorp, where you made the new discovery of reserves at Red Lake Mine and invented the Goldcorp Principle.

This is what you get with big discoveries. When Placer Dome bought the Cortez Trend, their market capitalization grew by $4 billion, or an increase of 35-40 percent. If you have a junior company, it would get multiples of its price. That is what I'm looking at. In the best-case scenario, the Cortez Trend (where U.S. Gold has property) is another Carlin Trend, and you earn 20 times your money.

That's the best-case scenario. The real world is that digging for gold is a long way from producing it at a profit.

When you look at the Carlin Trend, which is 18 miles away, we are 15 years behind that in terms of development and exploration. Cortez Hills was discovered in 2003. The first discovery in 1991 was considered a one-off, but we now know that the deposits occur in clusters. So, the thinking is that you are going to have a similar type of trend here. There is ample evidence of this.

There have been numerous reports of a critical shortage of drilling personnel, materials and rigs in Nevada last year. Is that still the case?

All your raw materials for building a mine are back ordered. Rates for labor have shot up dramatically. When Goldcorp started sinking its new shaft, there was only one other project in Canada, right now there are 10. There is a shortage of people who do that work. There is a shortage of steel, cement and even rubber for tires of trucks. All of the sudden you have this huge ramp up in demand, and the system hasn't been able to accommodate it yet. The enrollment at mining schools had been going south. Now you have all these projects, and it's coinciding with all these people retiring. There's this real squeeze.

So, how do you staff up in that environment?

When I was searching for a new president, everyone told me there was a shortage of labor. There isn't a shortage of labor if you consider the other half of the industry. I participate in Women in Mining. There are all sorts of women who don't have a shot at the top. That led to the hiring of our president. People are ignoring, and not utilizing the full pot. If you look at the population mix, that should be a pretty good proxy for the executive suite.

Profit margins must be getting squeezed in this environment.

You want to bring a mine in that is producing gold at a low cost. A lot of people produce gold that is expensive. Gold was moving higher against the dollar, but now we're seeing strong gains in all of the major currencies. It's creating a much larger audience viewing the performance of gold. There are more people coming in, and less supply, which tends to push prices.

Is U.S. Gold currently producing?

No.

What is your anticipated cost per ounce?

We have to find it first.

Will you use the Goldcorp Principle to target exactly where the highest probability of the reserves is located?

We'll certainly be trying to incorporate open source in this model. It's a different time. When we did it back in 2000, the industry was in a recession. Today it is booming. There is a shortage of people, and we start drilling in spring.

What is the current debt load of U.S. Gold?

Zero. I went in at the end of July and bought a third of the company. I addressed the debt, changed management, and moved the company forward by adding new management and board members and focus. I had 17% interest in the property that adjoins U.S. Gold on three sides. That's about 35-40% of the trend.

You've coined a marketing phrase for U.S. Gold, "Right Time, Right Place, Right Trend!" which is similar to what you were saying for Goldcorp in 2002, when gold was under $400 an ounce and Goldcorp shares could be bought for $11.50. Gold closed at $557 on January 27th, with Goldcorp shares up to an all-time high of $25.77. Why do you think gold will continue going higher?

From a gold standpoint, if you go back to 2001, there was concern that the Central Banks would sell and that would depress the price. In the Washington Agreement, the banks limited the amount of gold they would sell in any one year. Russia has said they would like to double their gold holdings. If they did that in one year, that would be 20% of the world's annual production. South Africa wants to increase their gold. The Islamic nations are talking about a gold-backed currency. China might diversify some assets in gold.

$557 per ounce is high for this decade, but much lower than the peak price of $850, set in January 1980. Jim Jubak noted this month that when you adjust for inflation, the 1980 high is actually about $2,100 an ounce in today's dollars. "So instead of being 65% of the way to the historical high," he writes, "We're only about 25% of the way there."

We're not at the peak yet. The Federal fund rates were near 15% in 1980. I would venture to say that interest rates will be going higher, and that we're four to five years away from our peak in gold.

Without a production line, you are a long time away from income.

If we were lucky enough to make a major discovery, that would address everything.

Did the former executives of U.S. Gold, William and David Reid cash out their equity stake in the corporation?

Bill and Dave were quite welcoming of an investment and a change of management. They served as consultants, and they quite willingly remained shareholders. They have about 1.5 million shares between them.

You admitted to Dorothy Kosich, a writer for MineWeb, that the odds of finding a good gold deposit are "very small." It makes sense for you, a man who cashed out almost a hundred million in 2003, to speculate on small odds, but do you really think the average investor should be so quixotic?

Like any investment, it should be undertaken with an eye to saying, "Can I afford to lose it?" If it is not discretionary funds, you really have to watch what you're doing, especially if you're going to invest in gold. Investing in a startup company in any industry means you're never sure it will pay off. Statistics tell you that only a few of them work. Explorations are similar. When I bought into the Red Lake Mine, where we had our big discovery at Goldcorp., that mine had been written off as having no potential. We found the richest gold mine in the world.

Goldcorp has rewarded investors 800% over the last five years.

If you are participating in a new discovery, it's like sitting on a rocket. I've always been a big believer in exploration. Are you investing in an area where there is a lot of gold or some? Is it an area where there is a lot of infrastructure? You can reduce the odds. For someone who has never ventured into speculative startups - like biotech - investing here is a bit of a stretch. I can say that the biggest returns will occur in the junior sector, rather than the seniors. If they [Newmont Mining, etc.] have a discovery, it will not have a meaningful impact on their share price. In the junior companies, it will.

While at Goldcorp, Goldcorp invested in Bioteq Environmental (a water cleanup corporation based out of Canada). Why?

Bioteq has been used to address past mining sites where there is a water quality concern. Also, there are a couple of companies when they set up a new mine, they include Bioteq's technology to make sure their water quality exceeds that required by the regulators.

What environmental roadblocks at U.S. Gold concern you?

If you're not going to mine responsibly, you don't have a chance of getting it started. It's not to say that U.S. Gold had a sterling record. They were always challenged economically. It hasn't been operating for 10 years or more. There is a little bit of cleanup to be done there.

Tell us more about your recent philanthropic efforts, specifically the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the Toronto General Hospital.

It's a consuming passion. It was set up to lead the work in regeneratives - a leading edge research for most disciplines of medicine today. It's about causing your body at a cellular level to work to repair damaged parts of the body - organs, tissues, bones, etc. There are a large number of scientists studying that in Toronto. Regenerative medicine appealed to me because it has the promise and the potential of shortening hospital stays by reducing the time to cure a patient. Health care is only going higher. In this regenerative end, if we could encourage and foster the research, we could provide an answer to a growing need in society for heart and vascular systems, spinal damage, etc. For me, having grown up in the financial and mining industries, when I poked my nose into the hospital, here was a world I could not even imagine. Mother Nature has been kind to me, so I should give something back.

Well, in addition to the gift of health, Mother Nature has given you quite a talent for striking gold, which is why U.S. Gold might be an attractive investment for a very daring investor who has a little extra pocket change and a few years to speculate with.

Click to go to the Gold Report Card, where NataliePace.com lines up the numbers of major (and one junior) gold mining companies.

Full Disclosure: On 2.6.06, three business days after the publication of this article on NataliePace.com, Natalie Pace intends to add shares of U.S. Gold to her personal portfolio.

Please note: NataliePace.com does not act or operate like a broker. We are a 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/or consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security.

Other Articles of Interest:
1. Read "Gold Fever: China's Got It. Should You?"
2. Take a survey and let us know which sector you are putting your money in on the home page of NataliePace.com. (Click on the survey and you will go to a page where you can vote in all three of NataliePace.com's current surveys.)

Get Relationship Ready with Fitness and Life Coach, Gary Kobat.

Actor Will Ferrell and life & fitness coach Gary Kobat Finish the 10k in Brentwood, California at a Personal Best Photo Credit: Julia Henderson

Has there ever been a time in your life that someone believed in you so much that your talents and spirit soared in their presence?  What did they see in you that you couldn't see in yourself? Did you grow when they shared their faith in you? Were you able to reach higher or step farther when you knew you had their encouragement behind you?

Having a coach in your life reduces the time spent drifting away from your goals and accelerates the process of turning your dreams into reality. A great coach keeps your vision in front of you at all times and keeps bringing you back to a plan of action. That coach helps you modify your plan when necessary, whether you need to be pushed or pulled, inspired or challenged, empowered or left alone. A quality coach knows just the right way to keep you energized and moving, clear and accountable, so you can achieve your best in many areas of your life. 

We get off track all the time. The key to being more successful is learning how to correct your course, quickly and efficiently. Want to play BIG?

Do you have outrageous, huge, and unreasonable goals? Get a coach.

If you did all the things you are capable of doing, you would literally astound yourself. History shows that most people aren’t really scared of failing, but rather scared of their own power; of their own capabilities.  

The following principles have been created to “energize” you when you feel challenged, stuck or just starting out. They work ..IF you choose to embrace them, stick to them, and work them ..IF you want results getting from here to there.

1. Take 100% Responsibility for where you are, how you got “here” and how you are going to get “there”.
2. Remember that the answers to your questions are INSIDE ... not outside yourself..
3. Learn that it’s about the fundamentals and how you execute them: that short cuts never last.
4. Give up all your excuses.
5. Remember that everything you experience today is the result of choices you made yesterday, or in the past.
6. Give up blaming and complaining.
7. Remember that change is the one thing constant in life and if you keep on doing what you’ve always done , you’ll keep on getting what you always got.
8. Be results driven. … know that results don’t lie.
9. Pay attention: Be Awake, Aware, and Anticipate.
10.  Get clear about what you want, create your vision.
11.  Be clear about “why” you want what you want.
12.  Stop settling for less.
13.  Don’t live someone else’s plan for you.
14.  Stop worrying about just making a living.
15.  Don’t let anyone talk you out of your Vision.
16.  Raise your standards.     
17.  Share your vision with a few others for max impact.
18.  Believe that it’s possible; that it’s about an attitude, a mind-set; and consider changing yours.
19.  We all have choices and that the choice is up to you.
20.  Don’t waste time believing you can’t.
21.  Disregard what others think about you, besides it’s none of your business anyway.
22. Set smart goals, then make them smarter.
23. Set goals that stretch you.
24. Set goals versus have good ideas.
25. Reread your goals everyday, three times: morning, noon, and night.
26. Create a vision board, a storyboard, with pictures.
27. Carry your most important goal in your planner.
28. Write yourself a letter and mail it to yourself.
29. Write yourself a check and carry it with you.
30. The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
31.  The secret of getting started is breaking it down to manageable tasks, to the ridiculous.
32.  Success leaves clues; seek them out.
33. Get out of your comfort zone; you get comfortable when you are comfortable, we grow when not.  
34. Change your thinking, change your results.
35. Change your eating, change your results.
36. Change your movement, change your results.
37. Fuel your images with affirmations, see with your eyes closed.
38. Start Now: take action Now. When would NOW be a good time to start?
39. Act as if it’s done already. When is the best time to build a house? When it’s done: in your mind and crafted, drafted on  paper.
40. Quit waiting.
41. Fail forward fast.
42. Lean into it:  create momentum.
43. Have faith: be willing to start without seeing the whole path.
44. Stay with it and know that the path will appear.
45. Be willing to feel fear.
46. Take quantum leaps, they can transform your life.
47. Be willing to put it all on the line.
48. Be willing to pay the price.
49. Be willing to suffer; the benefits will last forever.
50. Train and rest and train and rest and train and rest.
51. Know that Olympians pay the price.
52. Know that if you miss a day of practice, you know it.  If you miss two days, your coach knows it. If you miss three days, the audience knows it.
53. Do “whatever” it takes.
54. Put in the time; know that you’ve got to do the work.
55. Be willing to go through that awkward stage in the beginning.
56. Stay with it long enough to find out the price you have to pay.
57. A.s.k. to g.e.t.
58. Reject rejection.
59. Swswsw. Owowow. (so what) (oh well)
60. NEXT!
61. Use feedback.
62. Ask for feedback.
63. Listen to feedback.
64. Stay on course.
65. Look for patterns.
66. Commit to improve, constantly.
67. Improve in small increments, with quantum leaps.
68. Decide on what to improve on.
69. You can’t skip steps.
70. The more you measure the more you manage and the better it gets.
71. It’s all about project management.
72. Understand that it’s not going to be easy.
73. Persevere.
74. Stay with it: just one more telephone pole.
75. Plan for five years.
76. Never give up.
77. Remember what sustained effort can do.
78. Go the extra mile.
79. Do more than other people expect.
80. Surround yourself with accomplished people.
81. Be selective.
82. Avoid toxic people.
83. Acknowledge your positive past.
84. Display your success.
85. Create an hour of power.
86. Finish what you start, and finish strong.
87. Make space for new.
88. Face what isn’t working and move on.
89. Embrace change.
90. Grow or die.
91. Talk to yourself like a winner.
92. Know that “You are Capable”.
93. Overcome your limiting beliefs.
94. Break habits quick.
95. Be willing to do whatever it takes.
96. Remove energy drainers.
97. Read, study, listen, observe.
98. Be coachable.
99. Be prepared: be camera ready, career ready, relationship ready…just plain ready.
100. Commit to lifelong learning.
101. Do what you love.
102. Stay focused on your core genius and your dreams.
103. Delegate smaller tasks.
104. Redefine time.
105. Build a support team.
106. Say NO to the good so you can say YES to the Great.
107. Eliminate.
108. Stop majoring in minor things.
109. Find a wing to help lift you up.
110. Do your homework.
111. Return the favors.
112. Hire a coach.
113. Accelerate your growth.
114. Trust your intuition.
115. Argue less and listen more.
116. Tell the truth faster.
117. Know that your words have power.
118. Stop lying to yourself, to others.
119. Hang in there until you get it right.
120. Keep your agreements.
121. Release to accelerate.
122. You must decide to get focused.
123. You have the birthright to abundance.
124. Don’t tell us you can’t.
125. Build assets rather than liabilities.
126. Get out of your own way.
127. Serve. Give back. Empower others.
128. Work hard, be patient, inspire others, teach.

A passionate life and fitness coach, world-class athlete, author, and keynote speaker, Gary works one-on-one with select individuals, customized mastermind groups, and larger goal oriented teams for lasting personal and professional change. If interested in joining a group or for a private consultation, email him directly at: gary@e-coach.com or visit one of his spinning classes at Revolution Fitness in Santa Monica, California.

The Man Plan: Finding and Catching Your Guy.

by Julie Ferman, Cupid’s Coach

Julie Ferman, CupidsCoach.com Photo Credit: Alex Reznick

No sweat. 

Really! Finding and catching your man is a simple, though not always easy process. Here’s how to BE and what to DO, to develop the plan to reveal and deliver to you…your prince.

Be Clear – Who IS this Guy?
It’s brainstorm time. Make your long list of the qualities you’re seeking in your mate.  Go wild, have some fun with it. Then isolate the top three critical criteria. Tough?  You bet, but so important.  Keep this short list handy, wrestle with it and then revise it over time.

Be a Man Magnet
Men are drawn to warmth, spunk, wit, a loving spirit and an air of “come hither femininity.” Men are visual creatures; they respond to color on the lips and cheeks, pretty skirts and shoes.  Men love hair; don’t chop it off. They tend to prefer a lean or hourglass shape; discipline yourself to exercise routinely and maintain a healthy diet. If you’re venturing online to meet Mr. Right, post professional quality, current face and body photos. Craft your essays carefully to reveal your softer, nurturing side. Exercise and play on your femininity in person. Use your girly nature to catch his eye and win his heart.

Be a Keeper Collector
Hello101. Saying hello to that nice looking gent at the car wash is for some natural, and for others…a learned skill, which you are now going to develop. YOU are going to begin the practice of chatting up total strangers in line at the supermarket, the deli, and the dry cleaners – in fact, just about everywhere you go.  Practice first on sweet old ladies, moms with kids, and then…the men.  Hit the mute button on that cowardly little voice in your mind as it reliably offers discouraging, deflating, self-critical negativism. Rather, focus outward, on brightening the day of each person who crosses your path. Offer a sincere compliment, ask if the Lean Cuisine he’s purchasing is any tastier than the one in your freezer. Ask him if he likes his car, or heck, what time it is – the topic isn’t important, but the social magnetism you’re developing is.

The introduction. In the midst of this casual conversation, slip in “Oh, I’m Julie, by the way.  What’s your name?”  Offer your hand to shake or reach out with a warm touch to the shoulder, instantly transforming this ‘stranger’ into a new ‘contact’.  Weave into the chat a reference to your work or your social life, and run with him down any conversation avenue he offers. Mention the fun gatherings, which you and your single friends attend and host, inquire about where he lives or works, and ask the simple but powerful question, “Just curious, are you a single person or happily attached?”  Be fully present, open, and welcoming, remembering that your focused eye contact and warm smile is a gift to him and to everyone you touch throughout the day.

Take him home. Well, sort of… Try out these closers: “I’m so glad we met. You’re a keeper. Let’s stay in touch.  If you’d like to meet for coffee or a drink after work sometime, here’s how to find me. My friends and I are always planning fun social gatherings; shall I invite you? Share your email address or phone number with me and we’ll include you.” Have business or personal cards printed up and always easily accessible in your purse or pocket, and a pen too, to jot down his contact info if he doesn’t offer his card.

Hook your fishy. When you get home, within 24 hours of meeting, shoot off a warm, inviting email or place a quick, cheerful call, saying how nice it was to bump into him. Suggest chatting again over coffee. See if a dialogue begins.

These “chance encounters” are in my terms, critical opportunities for relationship. With each casual hello, you are becoming more sticky, more comfortable and proficient with the process of initiating and developing new contacts, connections, friends and prospective partners.  Collect your keepers, develop your ‘little black book’ and before you know it, you’ll have enough new friends to throw that party you’ve been talking about…!

Do the Picky Test
My biggest frustration is watching GREAT people overlook and dismiss other GREAT people for superficial reasons.  Take the “Am I being too picky?” test now. Consider closely the last 10 to 20 candidates who’ve crossed your path.  Study the men you’ve dated, selected through an online service, met through business or friends - candidates you deemed interesting and attractive.  Keep this list and continue adding to it into the future for objective statistical analysis. 

Note by each name if he was also interested in YOU. Was he attracted to you?  Did he pursue you?  If less than 25% on your hit list are also going for you, then I say you're being too picky, limiting yourself too much to expect success. 

What to do if you flunked the picky test? 
1) Re-evaluate and open up your standards.  Stretch on the issues of lesser importance (height, hair preferences, age, income, living location). If a new candidate meets your top three critical criteria, engage him and meet him, even if he doesn’t WOW you upon first glance.

2) Broaden your reach, play the numbers game, do some serious strategic marketing to better your chances in our highly competitive romantic culture.  Join dating services and singles clubs and be proactive while there, develop your flirting skills, meet lots and lots of men. 

Whereas men are typically visual and need to be physically attracted from the start, we women can develop attraction and fall in love over time. Keep the heart and the eyes open, and be willing to be surprised as to whom He just might turn out to be.

If the guy you’re considering has all of your Top Three Critical Criteria, I suggest (and so would your mama) err on the side of WhatTheHeckMeetTheGuy. A wise grandmother once advised me, “Julie, never turn down a date with anyone…you never know who his friends might be!”  That southern belle had men chasing her well into her seventies.

Do Your Action Plan
If your personal goal is be in a loving partnership within the next year of your life, then I want you on an average of two first dates each month with new prospective candidates – men who meet your top three critical criteria and who are also interested in you. What vehicles should you use to meet and hook these fishies? Singles events, business mixers, online dating sites, register privately with me, gather your friends and throw parties, flirt and schmooze everywhere you go, and actively reach out to the men who interest you.

Do whatever it takes to get on those two new dates each month. Not sure after the first date? See him again. Still not sure? See him one more time, as research shows -- the much sought after and heartwarming magic called human bonding doesn’t even begin until date number three. 

Be Your Best You
Get in shape and stay in shape, inside and out, keep learning and growing, reading and taking classes. Doing so keeps you fresh and alive. Constantly explore and develop the inner you, balance your inner work with a GetOutThere plan, including registering privately with me at www.CupidsCoach.com. Extend invitations, be available and accessible, focus outward, offer your willing smile, your engaging eyes, and use a warm, sweet greeting on your voice mail…you’ll be getting lots of calls…

Julie Ferman is Cupid’s Coach.  She founded her personal matchmaking service and online dating communities to dignify and simplify the love search process for desirable, selective, relationship-minded professionals.  A product of the dating service industry (her 13 year marriage was the result of a Man Plan of her own) and with over 1,000 marriages to her credit…she’s here to help you. Singles of all ages are invited to register with Julie privately, for free, at www.CupidsCoach.com or call 877-345-LOVE

Active Search Programs:  If you'd like to have Julie working actively for you as an active search client with Cupid's Coach, contact Susan Ninah, New Membership Director anytime directly here:  877-345-LOVE x83 or email her for more info:  Susan@CupidsCoach.com

What is Sexier Than Shoes? Seven Reasons Why Investing is More Fun Than Shopping.

by Natalie Pace.

3 Lusty Episodes of Sex in the City Available: 2.7.06 for just $10.38

2. Ever try sleeping in a shoe? The Little Old Lady Who Lived in the Shoe wouldn’t recommend it. Did you know that women are far more likely than men to live in poverty when they retire or if they end up as a single parent? Are you listed on the deed to your home?  Are you invested in real estate?  Do you know what you checked off on your 401 (k)?

3. Smart is Sexy. Girl’s Night Out Shoe Conversation: "Great shoes, where did you get them?"  Girl’s Night Out Investment Club conversation: "How much money did we make? What company should we invest in next? How about a girl’s getaway?"

4. Shoes wear out and get thrown away. Stocks may dip, but over the long term, provided the company is not an Enron, a great company and their share price increase in value. There are a lot of great companies run by ethical men and women, and many safeguards in place to protect the investor. Many publicly traded companies also pay dividends.

5. Boots are Made for Walking.  Ever try to launch a business with the profits you made from reselling shoes? Statistics show that most new businesses are launched with an entrepreneur’s own personal resources (not through SBA loans or venture capital). Put your money to work, reap some benefits and you’ll have the freedom to vacation, retire and/or start your own business!

6. Money is Very Sexy.   Demi Moore is hot and shoes sure show off her toned and tanned legs, but her package becomes hard to beat when you throw in the private jet, the homes across America and the freedom to never have to work again. So, if you want your own 27-year-old hottie, it may just be a stock pick away! (It’s not illegal to dream!)

7. Old shoes stink and I’ve yet to find an odor eater that really works (have you?). Stocks stink when the markets go down, and rally with such a delicious aroma when the bulls run. Is everyone enjoying January’s gains in the stock market?   Your best protection against market fluctuations is an asset allocation strategy that is carefully aligned with your age, your retirement needs and your risk tolerance.  If you are near retirement, your exposure to Wall Street should, as a general rule, be less than 35% of your retirement portfolio.  Find a great financial planner partner, and remember that, with brokers and lovers, it pays to pick a good one!

Helping Others:

by Kate Vozoff, with Valerie Sobel, founder of the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation.

A Foundation that Supports Single Parents Through Their Worst Nightmare: The Terminal Illness of a Child. 

Valerie and Andre Sobel.

Valerie Sobel experienced the worse nightmare of every parent when she lost her teenage son Andre to an inoperable malignant brain tumor. Her life and that of her family has endured the kind of reversal that results only from this kind of nightmare. Her husband and mother lost their lives within the year following Andre’s death, and her daughter Simone has not quite forgiven for the emotional abandonment that siblings experience from their perspective.

The work of the Foundation bearing Andre’s name was shaped by this family’s saga, yet its mission reflects on a lack that was not part of their experience. Their family was privileged with emotional support and financial wherewithal, but Ms. Sobel posed the question: how can single parents possibly manage without those? She found the answer to be : NOT WELL.  

After helping over 3000 people since the year 2000 when the foundation was established, the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation has become the expert in the emerging pediatric field of single caregivers. Statistics show that 78% of couples separate or divorce in the first year of a child being diagnosed with a life threatening illness. This problem once defined demonstrates that here is a new and invisible population. Because parents must continue to try and go to work to provide for their family, there are children dying alone. The single parent’s choices are to quit their jobs and plummet financially, or continue working and spend much-needed funds on in-home care by others.

She recalls a conversation with one woman in this dilemma when she asked how much money would allow her to stay at home with her child. The answer: $800 month. Just imagine the senselessness of forcing a mother to leave her dying child and go to work, so she can pay a stranger to do the thing she wants to do most," says Ms. Sobel.

The real objective therefore of the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation is to provide emergency financial help, thereby to allow the parent to care for their critically ill child.

Our gift is that of more time for the parent and child to be together, and this should be the basic right for all.

The hallmark of the program is assistance within 24 hours. The social workers at 12 pediatric Hospitals apply for help on behalf of a family once they have ran out of other resources to turn to.

Valerie Sobel wishes that they   could save children’s lives, but by softening the crisis for their single parents, the help that they provide is invaluable for the overall sanity of the family. It is a practical mission that helps immediately and how a crisis in her opinion should be handled: without heartless red tape. Having experienced this journey with her Andre, she understands that there is little emotional room left for facing bureaucracy.

This deep-felt awareness helps explain why the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation supports everything from food and shelter to ballet lessons for a patient's sibling, transportation for chemotherapy appointments, alternative therapies, even burial costs." We try to be sensitive to what government can never be expected to support," says Ms. Sobel.

"Our society is only as humane as our treatment of those so diminished by crisis that they cannot speak for themselves."

To help the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation help single parents during their worst moments, visit the web site at www.andreriveroflife.org.

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Bird Flu Stock Scam Could Be Hazardous to Your Financial Health.

A NASD Investor Alert

The threat of bird flu is fueling stock scams touting large gains from companies that claim to be poised to capitalize on helping the world avoid a global pandemic. NASD is issuing this Alert to warn investors that fax and email investment scams may come your way trumpeting the promise of large gains for companies with products and services aimed at fighting bird flu.

One fax claimed its company "has the solution for tracking and containing the Bird Flu virus in turn preventing it from spreading." Citing the enormous cost of fighting avian flu, the fax stated the stock was "positioned to gain 250% or more." The fax went on to urge investors not to miss out on a stock that was "clearly missed by Wall Street."

Spotting Potential Bird Flu Investment Scams
Unsolicited faxes and spam about investments that exploit Bird Flu fears may include:
  * Price targets or predications of swift and exponential growth.
  * The use of facts from respected news sources to bolster claims of a price run-up, for example that some percentage of the billions of dollars it will take to tackle a possible pandemic will contribute directly to a company's bottom line.
* Mention of associations with, or actions by, federal and international government agencies that bolster a company's product or service. One fax mentioned that the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology "had the authority to issue a mandatory directive" to require the use of technology similar to what the firm offered.
  * Mention of other "bird flu plays" that showed strong run-ups in price. On closer inspection these stocks often are not directly associated with bird flu response and may themselves be subject to attempts at price manipulation.
* Statements about how much easier it is for low-priced stocks to skyrocket in value in comparison to higher-priced stocks.
* Pressure to invest immediately

How to Avoid Getting Scammed
To avoid potential scams, make sure you get the information you need to make a wise investment choice.
* Investigate before you invest. Never rely solely on information you receive in an unsolicited fax or email. It's easy for companies or their promoters to make glorified claims about new products, lucrative contracts, or the company's revenue, profits, or future stock price.
* Find out who sent the message. Many companies and individuals that tout stock are corporate insiders or are paid to promote the stock. Look for statements (usually found in the fine print) that indicate cash payments or the receipt of stock for disseminating a report on the company.
* Find out where the stock trades. Most unsolicited fax and spam recommendations involve stocks that can't meet the listing requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange, or other US stock exchanges. Instead, these stocks are usually quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB) or in the Pink Sheets. There are important differences between the OTCBB and the Pink Sheets and The Nasdaq Stock Market or a stock exchange:

There are no minimum quantitative standards that must be met by a company to have its securities quoted on the OTCBB or in the Pink Sheets.

Many of the securities quoted on the OTCBB or in the Pink Sheets are infrequently traded and can move up or down in price quickly. This may make it difficult to sell your security at a later date.

Read a company's SEC filings. Most public companies file reports with the SEC. Check the SEC's EDGAR database to find out whether the company files with the SEC. Read the reports and verify any information you have heard about the company. stop to the rise in short term rates and forecasts for: the fact that a company has registered its securities or has filed reports with the SEC doesn't mean that the company will be a good investment.

Be alert to changes in the company's name and trading symbol, reported through SEC Form 8-K. Stock promoters often change a company's name and trading symbol in an apparent attempt to align it more closely with a current event or issue, such as bird flu.

If you're suspicious about an offer or if you think the claims might be exaggerated or misleading, please contact us. Complaints about unsolicited faxes may also be directed to the Federal Communications Commission. You can file a complaint online at the FCC's website: www.fcc.gov.

Additional Resources
* NASD Investor Alert Beware of Stock Fraud in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina
* NASD Investor Alert Stock Spams and Scams

To receive the latest Investor Alerts and other important investor information sign up for Investor News.

2005 Review and Outlook for 2006.

by Paul Woods, President & CEO of Odyssey Advisors

Paul Woods

During the year, inflation increased and interest rates rose while economic growth slowed a bit.  However, earnings for the S&P 500 Index came in well ahead of expectations as estimates were revised upward almost every month.  Although higher inflation and interest rates produced lower valuations in the stock market, higher than expected growth in earnings ultimately produced a positive return in stocks.

In 2005, small was risky and big was boring, but medium was just right.  Midcap companies were the best performing segment of the stock market and Midcap growth was as good as it got.  Growth came on in the second half of the year and appears to have outperformed value by a nose, although large capitalization growth stocks had their usual place at the back of the pack.  In the stock market, energy and biotech were the place to be while investors bet that discretionary consumer spending would be crimped by higher energy prices.  For reference, here’s the market index and industry group scorecard for 2005 that measures price change only and does not include dividends:

In addition, here’s the equity market segment scorecard for 2005 with the same caveat:

In 2006, we look forward to the long overdue departure of Alan Greenspan at the Federal Reserve.  Between setting speed limits for the economy because he feared economic growth, meddling in the stock or real estate markets when he thinks prices are too high, and dragging out policy changes to keep himself in the news as long as possible, he won’t be missed.  His replacement, Ben Bernanke, looks more decisive and may be more inclined to let free markets correct their own excesses, which most investors will welcome.

In the fixed income market, the yield curve flattened further and is now looking fairly strange. 

Source: Bloomberg LP

This zigzag curve appears to have resulted from two things.  Concern over inflation is one, although it’s hard to make much sense of the official position.  From what I can tell, as long as we don’t eat or drive, inflation isn’t a problem.  However, the Fed is going to do something about it anyway by driving up rates.  The second has to do with real estate.  While this requires more reading between the lines, it’s clear that Greenspan has appointed himself the corrector of free market excesses.  Real estate investors now, like stock investors in the 1990s, appear in his crosshairs for the sin of making too much money.

As you can see, the pressure on interest rates in 2005 was on the short end as long rates rose only modestly.  For the near term, the Federal Reserve has implied more of the same so we expect short-term interest rates to rise further.  However, many economists are betting that new blood at the Fed will put a stop to the rise in short term rates and forecasts for long-term interest rates in 2006 have come down slightly.  We’re not as convinced that inflation has gone away and remain cautious.  Until there’s a bigger cushion between the inflation rate and bond yields, we prefer the safety of shorter maturities with higher credit quality and good liquidity. 

Although you’d never know it from watching the network news or reading a newspaper, our economy is doing pretty well.  Higher interest rates, rising oil prices, and natural disasters have had little impact, as economic growth slowed only a bit in 2005.  We expect the inverted yield curve to slow the economy a little more in 2006, but don’t see a recession on the horizon.  Earnings for the S&P 500 expected to be up over 7% in 2006, and we think that estimate is conservative.  As a result, even if valuations erode a bit as they did in 2005, we think there’s a good chance of another positive, but probably unexciting, return in stocks in 2006.

Because of concern with the world energy situation, we’ve decided to intensify and focus more of our independent research on alternative energy investments in 2006.  When it comes to energy, it isn’t a question of whether the world is going to change, but when.  If world oil production hasn’t already peaked, it probably will in a few more years as existing fields begin to show their age.  Meanwhile, worldwide demand is expected to keep increasing at around 2% per year, which will force higher prices and the use of alternatives.  We may be early here, but prefer that to being late.  Some alternative energy companies already have several multi-year orders, and there are a sufficient number of companies available to analyze for future profitability and growth.  Companies whose energy sources are sunshine, wind, and hydrogen are our primary targets. 

Paul Woods is the President & CEO of Odyssey Advisors, LLC, an independent investment advisory firm specializing in equities and fixed income. He can be contacted a www.odysseyadvisors.com or 310.568.4700.

Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable however, Odyssey Advisors LLC does not warrant its completeness or accuracy.  Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this material 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.

5 Very Sexy Valentines to Give Your Lover

Patio Shot of The Lobster, Located on the Santa Monica Pier

1. Sculpture to Wear.  If you’re going to give jewelry, make it unique one-of-a-kind jewelry that is also art!  A link to Sculpture can be found in the NataliePace.com Shopping mall.
   
   
2. Create your own Love Splurge in Sunny Santa Monica, California.  Start with a minimum of three nights at Loews Santa Monica Beach, NataliePace.com’s favorite oceanfront hotel.  Be sure to book dinner at Loews’ restaurant, Ocean and Vine, where the appetizers, like the Tuna and the blue cheese baklava are not to be missed.   Book a night at the Los Angeles Opera, which is now WORLD CLASS, under the direction of the ultimate tenor, Placido Domingo.   Visit the Nomadic Museum at the Santa Monica Pier, and then walk over to the Ivy at the Shore to continue your artistic experience with an Ivy Gimlet.  Spend a day blading or biking along the boardwalk that runs from Santa Monica Beach, through Venice, Marina del Rey and all the way down to San Pedro (if you desire).   Have lunch or dinner at the stunning Lobster, located on the Santa Monica Pier, where the most unbelievable views in the world are combined with outstanding cuisine.   And finally, for the most important moment of your love tryst, simply stand on the shore in the arms of you beloved and watch the sun set.  The price is free.  The experience is priceless.
   
   
3. Believe it or not, a number of gents turned in notes saying they were interested in cooking or wine classes.  If you suspect that your guy would like his turn in the gourmet kitchen, try visiting StarChefs.com, which keeps a listing of culinary events happening nationwide.
   
   
4. NataliePace.com’s Shopping Mall.  Links to some of your favorite sites, as well as links to OUR favorite, unique shopping experiences, products and services.  From Ferrari merchandise to art for guys and links to getaways, spas and jewelry for women, your ultimate gift is just a click away.
   

Can Prince Charming Wait?

by Natalie Pace

Meet Women Who Earn More Than Men, and Learn Their Designer Bag of Tricks.

Warren Farrell, Ph.D. has a bold claim to make.  Mr. Farrell claims that, according to a survey conducted in 2001, “Men who never married, never had a child, worked full time and were college educated earn only 85% of what women with the same criteria earn.”

Graph courtesy of Warren Farrell, Ph.D. and his book, Why Men Earn More

Unmarried, childless men and women are a minority in the American culture, so this hardly means that there is not a gender pay gap, but what it does indicate is that the playing field is more level (or even slightly skewed) than we are lead to believe.  If the playing field is level, then, there are certain qualities of successful professionals that you can incorporate into your career game, which will up your odds of getting exactly what you want, on par or above any guy.  Indeed, Mr. Farrell’s book, Why Men Earn More lists 25 ways to increase your pay, and is certainly worth the fifteen-dollar price tag.

It is not surprising that the women who are out-earning men are those who are unmarried and without children.  Without the added responsibility of being Superwoman, a woman can devote a lot more time to advancing in her job.  Before we draw the conclusion, however, that earning equal pay means becoming a spinster, it is important to note that a majority of the most powerful businesswomen in the U.S. are proud mothers, including Anne Sweeney, Judith Regan, Gayle King, Barbara Walters and Carly Fiorina, and none of these women advocate loving your career at the expense of your family. 

Carly relied upon her family for support when her mother died, and more recently when she was fired as CEO and Chairman of Hewlett-Packard.  “You are fired publicly and the whole world has a field day with it,” Carly told the women at the California Governor and First Lady’s Conference for Women and Families last November.  “I got through it because of the unwavering support of my husband, who is here, and my family. There’s a lot more to life than corporate America.”

These businesswomen have some very important lessons to relate on achieving great success in your career, without sacrificing your families and husbands.  In the real world, you can have it all—equal opportunity, equal pay and a great husband to pick up the kids from school. 

1. Take Risks
“There is a direct link in what we are able to achieve and the amount of risk we are able to take.  I take the job that scares me the most.  If we’re to afraid to leap, we can’t expect to fly.”  Anne Sweeney

If everyone is willing and capable to do your job, it’s going to pay less than if you are one of the few people on the planet who can perform the job.  That’s why Michelle Wie (golf professional, with an estimated $10 million in annual endorsements, according to Fox Sports) makes more than Jonathan Levy (local golf pro).   According to Warren Farrell, Ph.D., “People Who Get Higher Financial Rewards Choose Fields with Higher Financial and Emotional Risks (venture capitalist vs. supermarket cashier).”  Farrell also notes, “Many Fields with Higher Pay Require Working the Worst Shifts During the Worst Hours (private practice medical doctor vs. HMO medical doctor).”

2. “Choose a field in technology or the hard sciences, not the arts or social sciences (pharmacology vs. literature).” - Warren Farrell, Ph.D.
When Sandra Day O’Connor graduated 3^rd in a class of 102 from Stanford Law School, she couldn’t get an interview.  In her words, “Here were all these notices asking Stanford law grads to apply for an interview.  I would call and I couldn’t get an interview scheduled.”  That’s simply not the case any more.  What is the case, however, is that a lawyer earns more than a teacher, a doctor earns more than a social worker, an investment banker earns more than a writer and genetic engineers earn more than preschool administrators. 

3. Work Hard and Don’t Whine.
“My slogan has always been: Just do your job and don’t whine.”  Barbara Walters.  The Godmother of network news. Owner/Producer of The View.

According to Warren Farrell, Ph.D., people who earn more work more hours, have more years of recent, uninterrupted experience with their current employer, work more weeks during the year, are absent less often from work, are more willing to relocate, take on different and bigger responsibilities than outlined by their job description and have higher career goals to begin with. 

4. Postpone the Prince?  Marry the Job?  It’s Your Choice. 
Money is Not Everything, and Not Everyone Needs to Have Kids.  The career tract does run at the same time as the biological clock, and you don’t want to wake up in your 40s, rushing to find a husband and have your kids.  Carefully consider the arc of your life and how you desire to live it.  Understand that you may reduce your earning power, at least temporarily, if you take time off to have kids, and that that life choice can still be the best one for you.

As Barbara Walters says:
“Not everybody has children.  If you don’t have children it doesn’t mean that you are not fulfilled.  If you stay home and you decide not to work, that’s okay.  And if you do work, and you are ambitious, don’t put yourself down because you have ambition or drive.  Nobody complains when a man does.”

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.  Think about how you’re going to create your future and our collective futures for stronger communication and, Lord knows, a much better world.” Ann Fudge, CEO, Young & Rubicam

5. "Above all, produce more.” Warren Farrell, Ph.D.
“They are people who focus on the limitations of the situation, and there are people who focus on the possibilities.  The people who focus on the possibilities always achieve more.  See what’s possible!!”  Carly Fiorina, former CEO and Chairman, Hewlett-Packard.

When people ask me about my “barriers to entry,” I say, ”Excellence.”  Just be better.  If you want to win the Gold medal in the Olympics, you simply have to run faster.  Ben Horowitz, the CEO of Opsware, says, “Good luck” to the competition.  He knows how hard it is to be the number one software provisioning company in the United States, which is relied upon by so many Fortune 1000 companies. Sure there is a lot of talent, creativity, intelligence and team work involved in success.  But at the end of the day, legends are those who worked harder and wanted it more. As Thomas Edison said, “Success is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration.”

6. Happiness Counts
“Men aren’t even allowed to be depressed, which is why so many engage in self-numbing, from sex, to gambling, to working…  Let’s make sure that head and heart can be reunited in the body politic.” Jane Fonda.   

There is no amount of money that can buy you out of a miserable life. You’re going to waste a lot of money on psychiatrists, booze and divorces if you neglect your happiness quotient. 

7. Add Value
“My commitment to my family, the people I work with and those who work for me, define me… Years from now, I’ll measure my success in part by what I have done to add value in their lives.” Anne Sweeney, co-chairman Disney Media Networks and President Disney ABC TV Group

Ms. Sweeney, in her keynote address to the women at the California Governor’s and first Lady’s Conference for Women, calls on everyone to “do something meaningful with our lives,” saying, “Everyone here has the power to change the world by making our own corner a better place.”  Patty DeDominic, the Chairman of SCORE.org and CEO of PDQ Careers, loves watching volunteers receive great job offers from their charitable work.  I received my executive training in the nonprofit field, where many organizations are grateful to offer motivated, intelligent, energized individuals the opportunity to take on more responsibility and push their growth curve.  

If you want to move up, be creative about it.  If you are in college and want a better shot at a great MBA program, start a society in your field of interest (like Jim Moglia, the Executive Managing Director at Harris Nesbitt did).  If you are in genetic engineering, start the GENOME Society, and have regular meetings where you invite professors to speak to your members.  If you are having trouble getting a promotion, look outside your career for the opportunity to prove yourself on a higher level.  Chair a fundraising event.  (Be prepared to get no sleep during that commitment!)  

“Our emphasis on glamour, celebrity and on being famous takes away from being fulfilled.  Have the courage to follow your bliss.  Find something that you love to do.  It doesn’t matter if it’s in front of the cameras.  Even if it seems ridiculous, go and do it.”  Barbara Walters

Add value to the lives of those around and to our world.  You will be surprised at the riches that you will receive by focusing on making sure that our Earth is a little more beautiful as a result of your footprint.  

There is no doubt that women have overcome obstacles to get to where we are today. Sandra Day O’Connor (Supreme Court Justice and mother) couldn’t get an interview when she graduated 3^rd in her class from Stanford Law School.  Billie Jean King (6-time Wimbledon champion and one of the 100 most important people of the 20^th Century according to Life magazine) couldn’t get an athletic scholarship to college because she is a woman. 

There is no doubt that much work is still to be done in other parts of the world, to ensure that women worldwide have economic and political freedom. “As women get empowered and educated and get access to contraception and education, they become leaders.  Every time the religious fundamentalists or the political fundamentalists gain control, women get put down,” according to Isabel Allende, author of The House of Spirits.

You are free.  You are equal.  Thank the women who came before, and then do them a favor by living the life of your dreams!  And consider a career where women are still under-represented: as a CEO, or a Senator or the President. 

“It’s important that citizens of this country see that in all areas of our government structure, women are represented there.  It took 191 years to put a woman on the Supreme Court.  I think that was a little long to wait.”  Sandra Day O’Connor .

NataliePace.com Chat:  How To Earn More Than Your Male Colleagues on Thursday, February 8^th, at 8:45 a.m. PST, will be hosted by Patty DeDominic, CEO, PDQ Careers, President Emeritus, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and Chairman of SCORE.org.   Go to the NataliePace.com Calendar for more information.  Subscribers only.

Sharing Wisdom.

Grace

Last month, a young professional woman wrote: “I am a Product Designer with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from the Art Center College of Art.  Since graduation, I've been designing footwear and accessories, and I want to launch my own line of branded products.  I've spoken to a couple business consultants, and am looking into speaking with manufacturers in Asia.

I have the know how when is comes to the target market and the type of products I want to develop, and I have dealt with the manufacturing process and research, etc...  Could please give me some advice as to how to get some investors or where to go from here for finances?”

“As far as capital to start a company finding a factor to work with you is key as they not only will provide you with advances on orders but they credit check your clients and guarantee their invoices.” 

In business, as in life, some prefer the high road and some prefer the low. Frankie B. owner and designer Daniella Clarke chose the latter with her low-rise, trendsetting jeans and built a fashion empire based on denim and the humble butt-crack. But, while backdoor cleavage may have been the beginning of Frankie B., it certainly won't be its end.

Marilyn Tam Photo Credit: Clint Weisman

Please see the story of Weebok in this issue of the NataliePace.com ezine, which is excerpted from chapter seven of my book, How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want.   I hope you find the story suitable for your needs.  Grace, your specific questions can best be answered by someone who has a better understanding of your business plan. The answer in Weebok is more general, but I think you can find out many good ideas in it. I suggest that you also go to your local SCORE office and find a mentor/counselor there to guide you in your development process. Good luck on this exciting endeavor.

Marilyn Tam’s book, How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want, receives an average 4.5-star rating from Amazon.com customers. In her book, Ms. Tam talks about how to discover your own inner North Star, and how to use it to navigate your efforts to achieve maximum personal success. The hardcover is just $13.60 on Amazon.com.

Poignant Cuff Artist:  Jan Mandel

“There’s a group called Fashion Group International, which is based out of New York, and has local chapters nationwide.   New members are welcome. This is a great way for you to meet industry professionals and to network…  They are in the business of fashion and they are very helpful…”

Lisa Berman is the visionary proprietor of Sculpture to Wear, wearable art.  Her shop is located 808 11^th Street (at Montana Avenue) in Santa Monica, CA.  For one of a kind, exquisite jewelry for yourself or that special someone, call 310.260.1957 or email info@SculptureToWear.com. 

Fashion Group is a global, non-profit professional organization serving the fashion apparel, accessories, beauty and the home.

Got a Question for our Experts?
Email info@NataliePace.com with your burning money questions-- be they business, investing or personal -- and we will continue the dialog by having our very knowledgeable subscribers answer your most pressing needs.  Also, feel free to visit our Sharing Wisdom bulletin board at www.NataliePace.com and post your question there in a new topic.

Weebok:Ê How a Baby Idea Grew.

by Marilyn Tam, founder and Executive Director of the Us Foundation, former President of Reebok’s Apparel and Retail Products Group

Marilyn Tam Photo Credit: Clint Weisman

Sports stores didn’t like to carry the children’s shoes because it was a small- volume business. It was not understood nor liked by their young employees. It was not glamorous like basketball or tennis where there were celebrity athletes’ endorsements and the aura of “coolness.” Even the box sizes worked against children's shoes division, because the smaller boxes didn’t fit the storage shelves.

Everyone agreed that there was a real need for good shoes for growing feet. Yet the children’s’ division team members were discouraged by the constant uphill battle they faced within the company and the market place.

But that was before Nancy, Vice President of Apparel Production, turned her passion and commitment to the task of uncovering the potential of the children's division.     

Nancy was in her mid-thirties and just had her first child. She was the quintessential baby boomer mother. Quality children's products were important to her. She and her husband wanted these products for their child and were willing to pay handsomely for them. They were concerned that their child had the best advantages to develop and grow to fulfill his potential.

But as a new mother, she was quickly finding out that quality children’s shoes and clothes were either hugely expensive or too high fashion for her lifestyle. There was nothing well made, stylish and reasonably priced for the children of baby boomers. This void in the market inspired her to devote part of her maternity leave to drafting a business plan for the creation of a new division of Reebok: Weebok. 

Weebok was to be the brand for infants to five year olds. It would include shoes and apparel designed for the children of Reebok customers-- people who were interested in health and fitness and who lived an active lifestyle. They had above-average incomes and wanted to dress their children in the same casual, but quality manner that they dressed themselves. But they expected to pay moderate prices, not designer prices.

Nancy was working on her business plan when I joined the company and became her boss. We were a good match. I appreciated and believed in her mission. I liked the idea of providing baby boomers with a children’s brand that responded to their needs and lifestyles. It was a good extension of the Reebok brand and seemed to be in line with our mission.    

Other companies in the market were also realizing the need for this category of products. The Gap was opening Baby Gap Stores, Guess? was delivering Baby Guess?, Ralph Lauren was shipping Baby Polo, and many others were also responding to the perceived demand. In order to become the leader in the field, we would have to execute our plan better and more effectively than the other entrants in this budding market.    

Keeping our enthusiasm in check, we analyzed our strategy to ensure that we had a viable business instead of just a pipe dream. We brainstormed on the approach and execution plan. How would we distinguish ourselves from the others? What did we have that was unique? How were we better able to serve the customers? Was there a market for what we wanted to sell? Did we have all the resources to ensure success? Most importantly of all, was the project fully in line with our company mission?    

We planned every detail of the strategy like clockwork. We analyzed our existing children's shoes division. We incorporated the good and learned from the bad. Collaborating with the other divisions to leverage the company’s resources, we developed a line of coordinated footwear and apparel for infants to five year olds.        

We did field research, talked to mothers and performed market testing. We backed it up with lab testing. We scrutinized store layouts and examined store fixtures. We shopped the competition and reviewed their advertisements. We did everything possible to make sure we were fully prepared to enter the market with a strong and consistent message.

The market was ripe for some company to become the leader. And, with all the entrants, we wouldn't have time to adjust if our first line was bad. We had to take the lead and hold onto it from the start.

After we had completed our due diligence, we had to create the product. The task of developing, producing and pricing a line that would appeal to our target market was still before us. The apparel and shoes were coordinated with each other in function, style and color. The clothing and shoes harmonized beautifully with each other and looked so cute and adorable that even the ones of us in the company with no children were eager to get them into production.

We still had to sell the products to the stores where our target customers shopped and to advertise so that they would anticipate our products’ arrival. 

After many long months of hard work and grueling travel, the line was finally shipped to the stores. In-store promotions launched the line. Our team went to key stores to train the sales personnel on the feature and benefits of the products. The in-store displays and fixtures were tweaked to present the products in a consistent way. Cooperative marketing was done with the stores to create local excitement.

To our great relief and satisfaction, the customers came in to look and ... actually buy the products! And what's more, they loved Weebok! We were deluged with feedback about how delighted baby boomer parents were that someone had finally understood their needs. They told their friends about this great new line. Children’s and parenting magazines called to do features on Weebok. And soon we were getting calls from other retailers to request the Weebok line.

We were cautious enough to build slowly on the success. One of the biggest dangers at this stage is expanding too fast and believing your own publicity. In the initial euphoria of positive response, you may over-commit and end up having to retrench. Having to go backwards, reducing commitments and scaling back programs is demoralizing and disruptive to everyone involved. It also can very quickly earn you a bad reputation for being unreliable. And on top of that, over-commitment can suck up money faster than goods can be shipped out the warehouse door.

Being a new division with a limited budget, we had to allocate our financial and human resources vigilantly. So we built incrementally, stretching enough to have stock, marketing and advertising to grow the brand quickly, but not so recklessly that we would be overwhelmed if the line didn’t sell. It was a delicate balance. We scampered forward a little uncertainly, on wobbly feet, not unlike our Weebok wearers.   

Meanwhile, our competition was not sleeping. They were building stores, shipping products, marketing and advertising. We felt that there was a big enough market for more than one new children’s brand, but we wanted to be at the top. As the old saying states, durable success often comes from a lot of diligence and hard work. And we intended to be a long lasting brand, not the instantaneous flash in the pan that's the sure sign of a fad.

After two and a half years of diligent effort, Weebok had become a $60 million business and growing. The brand was recognized and requested by customers and our repeat business was increasing as well. Other divisions inside the company were more supportive and collaborated frequently on product development with Weebok. We were building a track record in the market and manufacturers were more open to working with us; it had become easier to meet the production minimums. Other related businesses were coming to ask for us to license the Weebok name to them -- a solid indication that our brand was achieving respect and positive response.   

With a passionate commitment to an idea and enthusiastic tenacity, Weebok had succeeded. The idea had always been compelling, but it had demanded clarity of mission and conscientious attention in execution to make Weebok a success.

Summary
1.    Clearly state your idea.
2.    Plan and review the strategy on how to implement the plan.
3.    Confirm your personal commitment to the objective.
4.    Solidify support for the project.
5.    Check for competitive advantages.
6.    Test market concept.
7.    Proceed only if there is a ground swell for the product.
8.    Keep innovating and be flexible.
9.    Enjoy the run.

Your future depends on many things, but mostly on you, - Frank Tyger

Marilyn Tam’s book, How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want, receives an average 4.5-star rating from Amazon.com customers. In her book, Ms. Tam talks about how to discover your own inner North Star, and how to use it to navigate your efforts to achieve maximum personal success. The hardcover is just $13.60 on Amazon.com.

Valentines Enjoy 20 Winners on our Hot News on Cool Companies List.

by Natalie Pace, Top-ranked stock picker in the US, per TipsTraders.com. 

(Note: These are not buy/sell recommendations. Always consult a certified financial professional before buying or selling stock.)

Natalie Pace Top-Ranked Stock Picker Per TipsTraders.com

Disney/Pixar.  Disney has animation in their DNA, according to Steve Jobs, who is now the biggest individual shareholder of Disney (ahead of Eisner), with 7% of the company.  Pixar as the best record of animation hits ever, in addition to intimate access to Steve Jobs’ Apple empire.  (Jobs is the CEO of Pixar and Apple.)  Is it a merger capable of creating the happiest place on earth for shareholders?  Click for a review of the Media Report Card.  Media, as an industry, is in favor, especially those that are embracing (acquiring) new media, like iPods.  (Proving how fast new media is becoming important, Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh's new film, Bubble, which came outs on 1.26.06, became the first film to be released theatrically for just four days before it will become available on DVD and pay per view.)  Price tag of Pixar?  $7.4 billion.  Pixar shareholders receive 2.3 shares of Disney stock, for a value of $59.78 for each Pixar share. 

New Media’s Hot, and Old Media is trying to catch up by acquiring it.  Time Warner has AOL, but they are also still reeling from the corporate implosion that occurred after the merger of AOL and Time Warner and the collapse of NASDAQ.  Debt is high. Dick Parsons is being chased around the Board Room by notorious corporate raider Carl Icahn (at a time when M&A activity is heating up again, but companies are getting bought on the cheap).  Sony had a surprisingly better earnings report that got investors very excited, but their margins are still the worst in the industry, at under 2%, and competition to make cheap flat screen TVs isn’t getting any easier.  On the other hand, News Corp. (with its acquisition of MySpace) and Disney (with its acquisition of Pixar) have made outstanding moves recently and are on the Hot News List below.  What’s most interesting about the Pixar buy, in addition to all of the hit movies being under Disney’s marketing machine, is the access to new media offered by Steve Jobs, who is the CEO of both Pixar and Apple Computer.  Disney CEO Bob Iger rules. 

Enron:  Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling enter the courtroom next week.  Jury selection begins on Monday, and the judge is pushing to have the jurors seated by “day’s end.” Skilling faces 31 counts of fraud, conspiracy, insider trading and lying to auditors for allegedly lying about Enron's financial state before the company crashed. Lay faces seven counts of fraud and conspiracy for allegedly perpetuating the scheme after Skilling resigned in August 2001. Both have pleaded not guilty.

General Motors:  Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian repurchased 12 million shares to become the largest individual shareholder of GM, with a 9.9% stake. 

Retail Pull Back:  “The retailers typically report their results in February, and most likely will provide downward guidance at that juncture – although Wal-Mart has already provided some hints on recent earnings trends, as has Home Depot (which trimmed back growth expectations).” Tobias Levkovich, Portfolio Strategist Macro Commentary, 1.27.06

Stats, Facts, Quotes and Educational Information:

1. M&A Mania.  Mergers and Acquisitions are exploding this year, for the fastest start to a year since 2000, when the $165 billion AOL-Time Warner merger was announced (Jan. 2000).   The value of 622 deals announced so far equal $49.9 billion, according to Thomson Financial.  2005 saw 1,013 deals with a total value of $37.4 billion.  2001 had 1,031 deals for a value of $31.2 billion.  2000 was a record year with 939 deals valued at $218.9 billion.
   
   
2. 10% Returns Predicted in 2006.  Liz Ann Sonders, the chief investment strategist for Charles Schwab is predicting a 10% return for the S&P500 in 2006, as is Tobias M. Levkovich of Citigroup and Henry C. Dickson of Lehman Brothers.
   
   
3. Technology in Favor, according to Smith Barney and the Federal Reserve Board. “Technology is our favorite sector for 2006 – as we expect stocks to benefit from a pickup in enterprise spending, and valuations to increase from current levels.  We would highlight two names in particular today:  QLogic & Cognizant Technology Solutions.” Dr. Albert D. Richards, CFA, Smith Barney, from Portfolio Strategist, 1.12.06. Every industry in the world relies on technology and now that capital spending is back, you can expect to see more outlays in this area.  “Rising business sales, a declining cost of capital, and ample financial resources in the corporate sector continued to foster a favorable environment for capital spending, a sentiment echoed in executive surveys, which generally pointed to widespread increases in planned capital outlays,” according to the Federal Reserve Board minutes, where the governors noted that “real outlays for equipment and software posted a solid gain in the third quarter.”
   
   
4. Media in favor, according to Smith Barney.  “Attractive valuation; low earnings expectations; out of favor with buy-side, anticipate more positive news flow,” according to Portfolio Strategist, 1.12.06.
   
   
5. Higher Interest Rates.  The Federal Open Market Committee decided today (1.31.06) to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 4-1/2 percent, and believes that “further policy firming may be needed.”.
   
   
6. Tobacco Companies and Mutual Funds:  Did you know that tobacco companies are popular holdings of mutual funds?  Altria, Philip Morris Tobacco Company’s new name (NYSE: MO), is 74.0% owned by institutional investors (aka funds).   If you don’t know what you checked off on your 401 (k), you might be manufacturing and marketing the cigarettes that you don’t want your neighbors and kids to smoke.  (If you don’t care, that’s one thing.  If you don’t know, it’s time to wake up.)
   
   
7. Don’t Buy in January. 50% or more of the stock market gains are typically made in the 4^th quarter of the year.  If you’re looking to buy, make sure you’re not buying at a 52-week high, unless it’s a company that you are sure still has a lot of upside growth.  If you’re looking to sell, odds are, at least historically, that January is a good time to take your short-term gains.   The Dow Jones Industrial average peaked at the beginning of January in 2005.  Click on Trick or Treat for a breakdown of historical market returns by month (which was part of October 2005’s Hot News column).   “Oil is rapidly approaching $70, a level at which consumers clearly backed away in September.  Thus, energy prices do currently constitute a real risk.” Tobias Levkovich, Portfolio Strategist Macro Commentary, 1.27.06.
   
   
8. Real estate is not showing any substantial weakening inn prices, sales or construction, according to the Federal Reserve Board’s analysis of the numbers, but “reports from contacts in many parts of the country suggested somewhat less ebullient market conditions, and measures of confidence of homebuyers and builders had fallen back noticeably.”  The FOMC expressed concern that reduced confidence might dampen the demand for houses by investors and speculators. Demand is expected to soften in the coming quarters.
   
   
9. Updates on Past Picks:  Goldcorp, Pixar and Sony have recently exploded, and we’ve included them this month, so that you evaluate whether you wish to add to your position, hold or take your profits!
   
   
10. 20 BIG WINNERS, which keeps us at the top in Annualized Returns (according to TipsTraders.com).  This hot news article still has the proud honor of featuring twenty companies that have posted positive gains, versus four that have gone south. Of the four that have gone south, we were most concerned with Krispy Kreme, but there are signs that Stephen Cooper, turnaround King/CEO, is moving that company forward.  Turnarounds are difficult to stomach, even the turnaround of the most popular sweet on the planet. Lawsuits are many.  OSI Pharmaceuticals, Automated Data Processing and Martha Stewart Omniliving – in our view, these are all great companies with exceptional products and/or leadership. Sometimes it takes awhile for the rest of the investment world to realize that.  Still love Jet Blue as a consumer, but the sector is in trouble until they figure out how to make solar-powered planes.

Valentine Gift Ideas in the Shopping Mall.

Important conferences and chats with business leaders and money managers in the Calendar.  Surveys.  Sharing Wisdom Bulletin Boards and more. 

Explore NataliePace.com’s new web site features and calendar listings, including the opportunity to chat online with money managers, Share Wisdom with other professionals, attend important business conferences, vote for the greatest love affair of all time, and more.

NataliePace.com™ is a multi-media and social networking company designed to provide you with the news, information and education you need to succeed in business, investing and life.   In short, we’re here to demystify the game of wealth and provide you with one-on-one access to VIPs who are inaccessible to most people.  We do not share or sell your email address, and the reviews of businesses listed in our pages are held to high journalistic standards.  (These are not advertisements, they are reviews.)  We send out information to our subscribers about once a week, to let you know of upcoming chats, opportunities, etc., so Please let your Internet Service Provider know not to put NataliePace.com or WomensInvestmentNetwork mail into the Spam folder!  You want to receive our notices in a timely manner!

NataliePace.com™ has one of the best records in the U.S. for investigative financial reporting, as well as for social networking and tracking the trends of investors.   Natalie Pace, CEO, is ranked at the top of over 690 A-list pundits who are tracked by TipsTraders.com.  Our contributing writers are all respected veterans in their fields.  Our aim is nothing short of spreading wealth by sharing wisdom, and to do that we interview the top CEOs, economists, Nobel Laureates, policymakers, royalty, money managers and business leaders in the world.

Subscribers receive the NataliePace.com™ ezine, subscriber discounts, access to our Subscribers Only Chat Room, feature chats with industry professionals, personalized customer service, Natalie’s Mid-Month Hot News update and much more.  Browsers are welcome to participate in our surveys, check out special feature articles, review archived ezines and post information on our bulletin boards. 

We pride ourselves on personalized service and your privacy.  We don’t share our subscribers’ contact information with other organizations. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at 866.476.7442 or at info@NataliePace.com.

If your friends wish to subscribe, it’s as easy as 1-2-3 online at the below join now link. Subscriptions are just $4.50 per month if you subscribe now for 12 months. That’s a discount of 30% off the regular price, and amounts to just one grande latte per month!  Get more bang for your buck!

Sign - up Link:

If you want to try us out first, you can sign up for a risk-free 90 days free subscription.

New Web Site Features:
Surveys.  Where are you investing this year?  Gold, stocks, bonds?  A Bathing Ape?  What was the greatest love affair of all time?  The Duke and Duchess of Windsor?  Johnny Cash and June Carter?   Go to www.NataliePace.com, and click on the survey question to participate in all three surveys.  We welcome your input and that of your friends!

Sharing Wisdom Bulletin Board:  A young entrepreneur asked a question about expanding her business, which was answered by the President emeritus of NAWBO and the woman who planned the last Democratic National Convention!  A young man asked about getting into the financial world, and was answered by one of the top economists in the U.S. and a very respected money manager.  Here, perhaps more than any bulletin board available, we attempt to get your questions addressed by talented, experienced, qualified individuals. 

Calendar: Check the Calendar section of our web site frequently for information on Members Only Chats (with millionaire money managers and CEOs), conferences and networking opportunities.  This month, in addition to some exclusive holiday events, you can register early for the Milken Global Economic Conference and receive a discount on the price.  Participate in our Earn More Than Men Chat on February 9^th with Patty DeDominic, the President Emeritus of NAWBO, Chairman of SCORE, founder/CEO of PDQ Careers and woman of much honor and many awards.

Quote of the Day:  We scour the top stories and the top speeches and lectures of policymakers, Federal Reserve Board members, executives, business gurus, analysts and more to bring you inspiring and informative quotes.  Check NataliePace.com daily to be sure you don’t miss out on the daily wisdom!

Helpful Tips:  

1. We recommend printing out the ezine, and reading it like you would a magazine — at your leisure, at the doctor’s office, etc.  If you put it on the bed stand or some other place where you do your light reading, you will find that the articles are designed to be entertaining and to be read in 10-15 minutes.  Why not pick up something that will increase your brainpower (and possibly your wallet), instead of fluff occasionally?  We borrow our headlines from the fanzines, in the hopes of making money just a little bit more risqué.
2. Our record for picking outstanding leaders in their sector is unmatched, well outperforming the markets. Google, Genentech, Taser and Overstock—we picked them all first.  If you wonder what this year’s headlines are going to be, then it pays to check out the ezine!  (NP is ranked 1st in the US for stock picking!)   Be sure to print out the Stock Report Card, which is located in every ezine, as an embedded link in the accompanying article.
3. Bulletin Boards and Surveys.  Share your wisdom with other NataliePace.com™ subscribers.  If you’re stuck in a rut, in investing, business or in your relationship with money, ask questions.  You might be surprised which VIP answers your question personally!
4. Make NataliePace.com™ your home page, so that you’re sure not to miss the best conferences, chats, market updates, stock picks and important trends that could increase your wealth, expand your business and save your nest egg!  Simply:

• Click on the browser name at the top of your computer (Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.).  
• Select Preferences. 
• Enter in: http://www.NataliePace.com in the Home Page address field. 
• Click on OKAY. 

Once you do this, every time you open your browser, the NataliePace.com home page will come up.  That way you never miss a Quote of the Day or the opportunity to Share Wisdom or take a survey. 

VISION: To build a global community of investors through a worldwide website, seminars, radio, television and print partners.
GOAL: To provide high-quality, first-run, ethical financial news, information and education, presented in an entertaining format, across all media (television, radio, print and online).
MISSION: To provide the news, information and education investors need to make better choices and to make investing as much fun as shopping.
PHILOSOPHY: Member Mosaic. Piecing together a more complete picture of the publicly traded company, one tile at a time, by valuing firsthand consumer experience, conducting evaluations of the executive team and lining up the numbers of the publicly-traded company with its competitors in a Stock Report Card.
For more information on NataliePace.com contact us at www.NataliePace.com, P.O. Box 1350, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1350 or 1-866.476.7442 (toll-free telephone number).

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