Jim Cramer's Action Alert Plus

JIM CRAMER'S ACTION ALERT PLUS: Insights To Investing

Author: Uncle Al

Getting back to even!! Boy...that has a nice ring to it! After suffering through the market’s near collapse in 2000, I thought I’d seen the worst of it. I’ll never forget...My broker at the time (long since fired) worked with a nationally known firm that will remain nameless. Most all of our retirement funds were placed in accounts bearing that company’s name; i.e., most everything was in house. I guess the commissions worked out better that way. Anyhow, every 7 days I’d receive a letter saying that we were in it for the long haul...not to worry...it will stop soon. Meanwhile, my portfolio kept sliding, and my broker, I guess under orders from the main office in New York, kept making excuses for not going to cash. We left him with about a 30% portfolio loss.

Trust is a funny thing. It has to be earned. He earned it originally, but then lost it when he did not put my interests first. We have a broker now that I trust somewhat, but am managing some of my portfolio myself. I look to get the best information available, do my due diligence, and then make a decision. One of the most reliable stock gurus is Wall Street analyst, Jim Cramer. I’ve watched his CNBC TV Mad Money show for a long time, and have profited from his succinct and timely opinions.

Recently, I was pleased to see an As Seen On TV spot promoting Jim Cramer’s Action Alert Plus subscription service that may provide more investing help. The Action Alert Plus investor service interests me for several reasons:

1. Pre-Trade Alerts: I will get an email prior to every trade Jim makes that will explain the rationale behind the trade and what I can expect from it. This will help me to decide if I think the trade fits into my long-term investment plan and help me to grasp current market trends.
2. Access to Jim’s Personal Portfolio: This is sort of unique. The old saying “Do as I say, not as I do” sure doesn’t apply here. I’ll be able to see exactly how he’s managing his own investments and model mine after his if it’s beneficial to me.
3. Weekly Summary: I’ll be able to chart my weekly gains (or losses) so I’ll be on top of current trends.

A few of us retired guys got together awhile back and formed a little investment group. We got together this past week and decided to buy the year’s subscription to Jim Cramer’s Action Alerts Plus for $374.95. We all live in the same community, so passing around the book “Getting Back To Even”, that comes with it won’t be a problem. We’re really looking forward to getting a real “insider’s” view of the market..Getting even again may be in our future!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/jim-cramers-action-alert-plus-insights-to-investing-1743690.html

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Pop Memoris of the 60's from Time Life

Pop Memories Of The 60’S--Do You Remember?

Author: Uncle Al

There are a bunch of us baby-boomers and beyond out there! In the sixty’s, we were either flower children or wanting to move to San Francisco to see what it was all about. Graduating high school in 1960, having a beer with the buds on the weekend was about it for the “getting high” excitement. In the South, we heard of something called “pot” that you smoked, but that was mainly what they did in Frisco and New York. We had no clue, and really didn’t think about it much.

Culture of the 60's
The sixty’s was really a decade of change and unrest, not only in our country, but in the music produced then. When I heard on an As Seen On TV spot that Time/Life had put together a comprehensive 10 CD collection of pop and easy listening favorites highlighting that decade, I was all ears. As I listened to a sampling of the music in Pop Memories of the 60’s, it brought back memories long since forgotten. I remembered exactly where I was when JFK was assassinated...the assassinations of RFK and MLK...such a decade like this country had never seen before. Gas---under 50 cents a gallon---”Where Have All The Flowers Gone?”---the anti-war flower children. Listening to the previews brought back a flood of thoughts, some happy and some not so much. But it was a time in my life that I can truly be glad I lived in---and enjoyed some really great music by gifted writers and artists.

The CD's
So, I did a little research to find exactly what hits were on each of the CD’s, and thought I’d give you my favorite from each CD:

• Disc 1: Running Scared--Roy Orbison


• Disc 2: Walk Right In--Rooftop Singers


• Disc 3: This Magic Moment--Jay & the Americans


• Disc 4: The Way You Look Tonight--The Lettermen


• Disc 5: Crazy--Patsy Cline


• Disc 6: Unchained Melody--Righteous Brothers


• Disc 7: Spinning Wheel--Blood, Sweat & Tears


• Disc 8: Since I Fell For You--Lenny Welch


• Disc 9: My Special Angel--The Vogues


• Disc 10 (Instrumental Gold): Last Date--Floyd Cramer

All the selections on all 10 CD’s were really on the mark, so I did order the Pop Memories of the 60’s set. I figure that for $12.95 a month I’ll get my money’s worth, not only in entertainment value, but for bringing to mind some really great memories as well.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/pop-memories-of-the-60sdo-you-remember-1788524.html

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Matthew Lesko Free Government Money

Matthew Lesko's Free Government Money Mentoring System: Money For The Taking?

Author: Uncle Al

For years I’ve seen this nutty looking guy in wild colored sport-coats covered in question marks spouting off about “free government money”. I guess it’s been over twenty-five years that Matthew Lesko has been trying to tell everyone that there’s literally “free money”, just for the taking, from our government. I mean, he’s written over 100 books on how to apply for and get free loans, grants and contract guarantees from the government. What’s even better, he advertises that he knows where to look for the money applicable to your situation.

The Government Giveaway
This year, the US Government will give away, that’s right...give away... on average $19,826 per household. Evidently, this slush fund for US citizens has been around for a long time; just not many people know enough or how to take advantage of these programs. I can remember my daughter researching for a free grant that would pay for her college tuition, so I know for a fact that “free money” was available in the 1980’s. I wish I would have known then about Matthew and his knowledge of government freebees.

It’s hard to believe that there’s over 10,000 government programs worth over $890 billion just waiting to be given to Americans who earn from $15,000 to $250,000! Matthew’s latest program to educate those in need of “free money” is aptly called the Free Government Money Mentoring System. It’s a learning system composed of three DVD’s that lead you to programs that give out grants, low interest loans, forgivable loans, government contracts, and direct payments for almost any service. Along with this, you receive online access to:

• Over 15,000 Free Government Programs


• 1 on 1 mentoring with answers to all your questions


• Free application support to fill out your grant


• Complete access to video library


• Free Webinars

Do You Want Some?
So, why am I even bothering to write about this? As I said before, I wish I had known about Matthew Lesko thirty years ago. His new Free Government Money Mentoring System appears to be a culmination of a quarter century’s worth of research. I’m sure that people today don’t have a clue that they can get free money from our government to start a business, invest in real estate, get healthcare, get scholarships, or even just to pay bills and so much more. There’s so many different needs that can be met by these government programs, but people just don’t know that they exist or how to access them. It seems like the government should do infomercials about them. I guess they don’t want to steal Matthew Lesko’s thunder!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-finance-articles/matthew-lesko039s-free-government-money-mentoring-system-money-for-the-taking-1788551.html

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crazy critters dog toy

Crazy Critters: Indestructible Dog Toy?

Author: Uncle Al

Our Four Furry Kids
We’ve got four...that’s right...four...dogs. Three Maltese and one Australian Shepherd mix. Three of the four are rescue dogs. Just one of the Maltese was purchased from a breeder, and that was during a grieving period immediately after the death of another Maltese. So, we are dog lovers, that’s for sure. Maybe we take it to extremes,because when we travel, we have a dog sitter come in and stay at the house. Not only do the dogs feel more comfortable, but it is actually less expensive than boarding them all.

They all have been given toys of every shape and size imaginable. The Australian Shepherd doesn’t like any toy, furry, vinyl or rubber. He only cares for the leather bones with the infused "meat” strips. We’ve had the youngest Maltese for just over a year. We rescued her from a puppy mill where she was one of the breeding females. I guess she’s about five years old now, and we haven’t been able to interest her in any toys except for a smaller version of the leather chews that the Shepherd likes. The next oldest Maltese doesn’t care for furry toys, but has this old raggedy, green vinyl “hamburger” (I think from Zanies) that she loves. I’ve been all over the internet, and can’t find another so we hope that it’s good for the duration.

The Vicious Old Lady
The eldest Maltese is ten and a half years old. The only, and I mean only, toy she would play with is a “carrot man” we found at a pet supply store. It’s a furry, gold carrot, about six inches long with a squeaker. Her life’s goal is to see how many of these she can destroy by tearing them apart and triumphantly pulling out the squeaker! As I was cleaning up the stuffing from the latest carrot man carnage, I saw these Crazy Critters advertised on TV. I usually tune out the As Seen On TV promos, but when I saw the dog tearing the stuffing out of the pillow, I became interested.

It’s Crazy Critter Time
There are two Crazy Critters; each about 24 inches long. One is a fox and the other is a raccoon. They are plush dog toys without the stuffing and are practically indestructible. They lie flat on the floor so it’s easy for the dog to pick up, and have squeakers at each end. I figured that one of these days, they’re going to quit making “carrot man”, so I’d better try and find a substitute now. Besides, cleaning up the stuffing is a chore I can do without, and constantly replacing the carrot man is something that isn’t budgeted.

So, I parted with the $24 bucks and ordered. When the Crazy Critters came in, we sort of snaked the fox across the floor in front of her. At first, she just sort of cocked her head and processed the new intruder. Then, she pounced...grabbed it...shook it...and took it to her bed for the ritual gutting. However, as hard as she tried, the Crazy Critter withstood the onslaught and remained intact. Then, she discovered the squeakers, and was in heaven. Now, she carries it around with her as a constant buddy. What’s neat is that the Maltese from the puppy mill has adopted the raccoon, and has a ball playing with it. It’s nice to see your kids having fun!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/crazy-critters-indestructible-dog-toy-1791465.html

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Practice Like a Pro

Practice Like A Pro: Short Game Practice Techniques

Author: Uncle Al

PRACTICE LIKE A PRO: Developing Your Short Game

I guess I’m what’s called an avid Spring/Summer/Fall golfer. I don’t enjoy the game during the Winter. There’s just not a whole lot to be said for playing golf on courses where everything is fighting to stay alive from the cold. Brown backgrounds and bare trees just don’t do anything for me. Also, there’s the clothing. While tremendous advances have been made in fabrics, I still have to bundle up...and bundling up means not being able to rotate this old body properly. So, my winter game largely consist of going to the practice tee to try and hone my short game and putting. I don’t have much of a problem getting off the tee, it’s just around the green that kills me and keeps my scores high.

So my golf winters are spent trying everything to begin the Spring a little bit better that I was in the Fall. When I saw Dr. Bob Rotella talking about the Practice Like A Pro DVD set on an As Seen On TV spot, I saw a way that I might speed up the process. I’ve read several of Dr. Bob’s books. He’s a sports psychologist renown for working with a lot of the pros on all of the Pro Tours; PGA, LPGA and Nationwide. I think I enjoyed “Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect” most of all because it was a great look at life as well as golf. So, I spent the $70 and ordered the “Secrets of the Short Game” DVD set.

The Five DVD Set
The five Practice Like A Pro DVD’s came, and I have gone to work. It was pouring when they came, so the first disc I watched was the Pros on the practice round. It was very entertaining to see the interplay between the players, plus being able to pick up tips. Not that I’m good enough to put them to use right away, but at least I hadn’t heard of them before. Since I often get the “yips”, the Putting Feature Disc was next. Great stuff...especially the portion on what to do before your round to get your head on straight on the green. I enjoyed Disc #2 on “scoring clubs”...knowing what to use when has always been a dilemma, and knowing how to refine my thought process in club selection is just great. That led me into Disc #1 that I’m going to school on. Getting advice from some of the top Pros is showing me where I have swing faults and how to try to correct them.

Then there’s Disc #4 with Dr. Bob. What a super session that is! Golf is truly a game that you have to get yourself under control if there’s to be any hope for conquering the golf course. Then, bringing your scores down requires refining that mental skill. Dr. Rotella is a master of these mental self-control and self-esteem techniques, and he shares his advice in an understandable and logical manner on this disc.

I think by the time Spring gets here, my golfing buddies will be reimbursing my cost of Practice Like A Pro many times over!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/practice-like-a-pro-short-game-practice-techniques-1798930.html

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Alabama National Championship Snuggie

Alabama Crimson Tide Snuggie: The Bcs Champion’S Snuggie

Author: Uncle Al

If you would have told me in my youth that I would have wound up in Alabama as a senior adult, I would have thought you to be major crazy. I mean, growing up in Orlando was heaven in the 50’s and 60’s. Great weather year round...we had a a family tradition of going water skiing on New Year’s day that continued long after my brothers and I graduated high school. So, here I am now; a Gator Fan right smack dab in the middle of Bama Nation! Although the Bama fever does wear a little thin sometimes, we do love being right around the corner from our grandkids.

Alabama Football
You have to understand that football is a 12 month sport in Alabama. There’s the pre-season game where 92,000 people go to the last intra-squad scrimmage, the regular season, and then the daily media reports during the recruiting season. It’s the same for Auburn too, although I haven’t seen as many where football is a totally consuming topic of interest. The true Bama fan can tell you who the offensive and defensive starting players are, and their replacements probably down the whole roster. I’ve never seen anything like it!

When Alabama won the BCS Championship this year, the whole state was euphoric for at least a week. Now, they’re going to erect a bronze statue of Coach Saban in Tuscaloosa costing a mere $50,000. The onslaught of championship memorabilia from footballs to highball and decanter sets are everywhere from WalMart to Books-A-Million. So I wasn’t surprise to see that the Snuggie people put an Alabama Crimson Tide Snuggie on an As Seen On TV commercial.

Bama Snuggie
I’m sure everyone knows what a Snuggie is by now. However, if you’ve been a cave for the past few months, I’ll clue you in. It’s a fleece blanket made like a poncho with sleeves. You just slip it over your head, and you’re warm and snuggly underneath. It allows you to keep your hands free to do anything you want, and are great for use on the couch while watching TV. It makes that ratty old blanket or quilt obsolete because you don’t have to fiddle with the Snuggie to keep it in place while you move around. I have seen them in the stands at college football games too, so they are really good for keeping warm while allowing you to move freely.

The Alabama Crimson Tide Snuggie is going to make a fine birthday gift for our daughter-in-law. It’s crimson (of course) with all the Bama football logos plus the BCS Championship Logo as well. For a $21.95 plus S&H investment, I think it may help to change her mind about us Gators...at least until next season starts!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/football-articles/alabama-crimson-tide-snuggie-the-bcs-champions-snuggie-1811932.html

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Couples Snuggie

Couples Snuggie: A Valentine's Day Snuggie For Two

Author: Uncle Al

Holidays
Do you ever wonder who invented holidays? Like, who ever thought of “Grandparent’s Day”, or “Secretary’s Day” or “Valentine’s Day”? Do you think it was a guy named “Hallmark”? What better way to feed your family for generations than to make up holidays where, if you don’t remember the honoree, you’re no better than mud for weeks thereafter. On second thought, I think it was a lady named “Hallmark”, because I bet the women way outnumber the men as card recipients!

Valentine’s Day is a biggie. Either cards, candy, flowers or any combination thereof is the favorite gift that men give. Of course, we have to remember to do it first. Around here, men generally put everything off ‘til the last minute. So it’s always getting up early on the holiday morning and running to the local food mart for a marked down something or other. The women don’t like it much, but after a couple of generations of this sort of gift giving and receiving, they’ve come to expect it. Life in Alabama!

The Couples Snuggie
This year though, I’ve got it socked! I have ordered a Couples Snuggie for Valentine’s Day. After I saw the As Seen On TV commercial, I went to my computer and parted with the $19.95 (free shipping) for the Couples Snuggie. Of course, we’ve all seen the Snuggie...from the Original Snuggie, to the Designer Snuggie, to the Collegiate Snuggie to the Snuggie for dogs. Just when we thought they were done, here comes The Couples Snuggie.

For years in the evening, the little lady and I have been curling up on the couch with a ratty old quilt made by some relative in the Civil War era, and spend most of the night trying not to pull it off of each other. Evenings on the sofa become chilly in more ways than one! The couples Snuggie should remedy this situation. It’s a thick fleece blanket measuring 81” by 71” with dual opening for heads and arms. So, once we’ve donned this Snuggie for pairs, we can sit together on the sofa under a fleece blanket with our arms free to do whatever. No more fighting to stay covered or fear of dislodging the blanket when we shift positions or reach for something. Under a Couples Snuggie with my hands free, sounds like a winner with the potential for some interesting evenings! It should make a great Valentine’s gift for my honey and me!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/accessories-articles/couples-snuggie-a-valentine039s-day-snuggie-for-two-1821488.html

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