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The article discusses how investments, including bonds, fared in 2008, and offers a list of stocks, mutual funds, and exchange traded funds to invest in for 2009. The list includes the stock funds the Merger Fund and Permanent Portfolio, the stocks Berkshire Hathaway and Novartis AG, and the bond funds FPA New Income and TCW Total Return Bond. INSET: The Most Depressing Financial Quiz You Will Ever Take.

The article focuses on the company Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The company has come to dominate the growing niche market for single-serving coffee, thanks to its Keurig coffee brewer which is widely used as a coffee machine at institutions such as offices, schools, and hospitals. Chief Executive Officer Larry Blanford notes that while U.S. consumers are not drinking more coffee, they are switching to the more expensive specialty coffees such as those sold by his firm. INSET: Five Secrets of Success.

The article discusses how the U.S. financial crisis has affected Americans as homeowners, consumers, investors, and small-business owners. It is reported that a reduction in the supply of mortgage credit is putting pressure on the housing market. Consumers are noticing higher interest rates and less access to credit. The effect on retirement investments is discussed. Small business owners have reported that they found loans harder to come by.

The article discusses the popularity of snowboarding in the U.S. The focus of the article is the sporting goods company Burton Snowboards. Burton is a privately held company that manufactures snowboards, snowboarding apparel, and accessories. Topics include an overview of the company, its philosophy, and a brief history of its founding. INSET: 5 Secrets to Burton's Success.

The article discusses the effect of the 2008 U.S. economic downturn on the job market, noting ways to improve job security and tips for seeking a new job. The chief executive officer of the consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, John Challenger, notes ways to keep current jobs. Improving skills at nontraditional jobs during a layoff is recommended. Personal networking is encouraged over searching for jobs on job websites.

The article introduces eight suggestions on how to be smart about using money in 2008. Included are articles about varying topics concerning managing money. The articles detail how to save money while traveling abroad, advice on renting a home rather than buying one, purchasing dynamic random access memory (DRAM) for computers and investing in a four cylinder vehicle.

The article discusses weekend musicians who play gigs for fun and a little profit. Members of rock bands such as the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith who are in their 50s and 60s have inspired the U.S. baby boom generation to create garage bands and book gigs. Comments from Sean Lee, a member of The Wicker Lee Band, and Susan Retter, a member of Take5, are presented.

The article discusses alternative-energy stocks and why there are many choices to choose from. The author explains that a good way to invest in alternative energy is to put your money in a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund (ETF) where they invest in renewable-energy. The article also explains that the best way to invest in alternative energy is through ETF's because they trade based on exchanges.

This article profiles the success of Zipcar, Inc. within the rental car market, with its largest market among college students, a market other car rental companies have avoided. High gasoline prices and the convenience that Zipcar offers are among the reasons cited for its success. Zipcar aims to capture customers who they know will remain loyal and repeat customers. INSETS: Zipcar Keys: Make It Look Simple, and Be Different;A Two-Wheeled Version of the Sharing Model.

The article reports that Imax, the Ontario, Canada based company that makes three dimensional (3-D) documentaries, now screens concerts, does 3-D animation, and motion picture blockbusters such as the "Harry Potter" films. Imax's stunning images and sound quality have set it apart from others, and now Imax is changing its technology from film to a digital format. This change will allow expansion into new markets, and the share price is expected to rise.

The article looks at homesteading, in which people grow and hunt their own food and embrace self-sustaining practices. Economic, environmental, and health advantages of the practice are reviewed. The author discusses people who raise chickens and grow crops in urban areas. Homesteaders comment on how their way of life preserves the cultural heritage of their relatives.

The article presents a profile of U.S. commercial investor Warren Buffett in relation to his influence on the economic conditions of the nation in 2009 and its future policy trajectory. A brief overview of Buffett's successful career in market investment is given, highlighting his self-earned wealth and influential business philosophies.

The article discusses some stock investments that could perform well during the administration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama. Infrastructure, alternative energy, and healthcare stocks could all do well during Obama's term in office. Obama plans to spend $150 billion on renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

An interview with financial expert Jim Ross is presented. When asked if exchange-traded funds (ETF) could eliminate the market for mutual funds, he says the will compete, but neither one will eliminate the other. When asked how ETFs are often misunderstood, he says people trade them too much instead of holding them for the long term. He adds that ETFs will probably begin expanding into fixed-income financial portfolios.

The article discusses the benefits and drawbacks of exchange-traded funds (ETF). ETFs are similar to mutual funds, but they are publicly traded. They allow individual investors to buy diversified stock indexes through a single investment. This saves money on management and record-keeping fees, and also allows investors to control when they pay taxes on their gains. The biggest drawback to ETFs is that they make people less likely to buy and hold their investments for long periods.

The article reports investment advice from Carmen Wong Ulrich, host of television network CNBC's "On the Money." Ulrich advises investors to pay attention to their risk tolerance and to avoid obsessively tracking their stock portfolios. She also suggests putting money to work in index funds and to be prepared to lose money put into individual stocks.

An interview with investment executive Nicolas Huber is presented. The topics discussed include investing in climate change, whether companies are in a good position to profit from a climate change, how to find the best stocks in each category, and how he feels a fund's holdings will look 10 years from 2008.

The article discusses companies that are established in alternative energy and the range from large to up and coming. The article breaks them into three categories and the companies include MEMC Electronic Materials, Energy Conversion Devices, Suntech Power Holdings and Yingli Green Energy Holding.

The article is about social networking websites where stock investors can share their ideas and successes. Major sites include Cakefinancial.com, Covestor, and ZeccoShare. Gabriel Dalporto, chief strategy officer at Zecco, thinks that the concept appeals to investors who seek validation from others who agree with their choices.

This article presents an analysis of so-called target-date mutual funds, premixed portfolios based on an investor's anticipated retirement date that gradually grow more conservative. Comments are offered from Geoff Considine, a strategic adviser to Vienna, Virginia-based brokerage firm Foliofn, who reflects on the importance of diversified portfolios.

This article focuses on personal finance and investing for the future. The article stresses starting to invest early because of the positive effects of compounding. The article explains that young investors should have three groups of money for spending, medium-term goals, and retirement. Detailed is how to build a portfolio with mutual funds and stocks. INSETS: The Set-It-and-Forget-lt Portfolio;FUNDS FOR A SHOESTRING BUDGET.

An interview with investor Connor Browne is presented. Browne discusses his first investing experience the summer previous to his senior year of college that culminated in a loss. He also discusses working at Thornburg Investment Management in Santa Fe, New Mexico and says he looks for stock from promising companies at a discount.

The article describes how to transition a hobby into a career using Pam Beesly, a character from the television program "The Office," as an illustration. The article suggests the websites online.onetcenter.org and careerinfonet.org to find jobs related to specific skills, recommends finding jobs related to one's particular hobby, and suggests ways to make the transition to self-employment easier.

This article focuses on payout funds. The funds allow investors to receive a set amount of their savings annually, determined by a horizon date, the date the fund will be depleted. This allows for an easier way to receive funds for retirement. Details of the payout process are included, as well as some of the financial institutions that offer them.

The article looks at the European economy in 2007. The economies of western Europe, due to low interest rates, corporate restructuring, and the global economic growth, has surpassed the U.S. economy. The MSCI Europe index has grown by 20% annually, however, momentum is slowing due to the increasing value of the euro, the low value of the U.S. dollar, and the credit condition, tightening due to the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis.

An interview with Cory Gilchrist, manager of Marsico Funds' $2.7 billion fund Marsico 21st Century is presented. He feels the market in 2008 will see monetary and fiscal policies that will tighten as the economic environment is slowing. He also thinks large-company growth stock is popular again due to cheap trading. He advises investors that management integrity and quality are important in the 2008 market.

This article discusses ways that hedge funds can protect themselves from one-day drops and other negative performances by sophisticated techniques such as short-selling and options. John Hussman of the Hussman Strategic Growth fund and Michael Orkin of the Caldwell & Orkin Market Opportunity fund describe ways that they protect their funds from sharp and sudden market drops.

The article presents information on gold as an investment. The rise in gold prices from 2001 to 2007 is discussed and a variety of reasons for the metal's appeal is presented. Increasingly high costs associated with mining operations are thought to be distorting gold's traditional usefulness as a predictor of inflation. INSET: Four Options for Buying Gold.

The article discusses the gardening concept of yard sharing and also mentions topics such as community gardens, food bartering, and the web resource www.hyperlocavore.com.

The article addresses the benefits for employees of lunch breaks and other breaks from work, which help employees avoid job stress by refreshing their energy levels and providing time to process information.

This article discusses Aurora, Colorado as one of the best cities for retirement. The author describes some of the factors which make Aurora an attractive retirement destination, including its abundance of cultural activities, its larger city size, the proximity to colleges and universities, a temperate climate and low home prices.

This article discusses Asheville, North Carolina as one of the nation's best cities for older persons to retire. The author discusses various factors which contribute to Asheville being an attractive retirement destination including its moderate cost of living, plentiful social activities and its scenic environment.

This article discusses Eugene, Oregon as one of the nation's best cities for retirees to live. According to the author, various factors which contribute to Eugene being ranked a top retirement destination include its cultural activities, scenic environment, temperate climate and relatively moderate home prices.

An interview with Tom Forester, manager of the fund Forester Value, is presented. He discusses his business strategy and obsession with risk, how he managed to break even in 2008, what stocks look promising for 2009, his expectations for the overall market in 2009, and how he defines "safe" investing

The author considers personal finances, and how consumers should know whether to buy stocks or a house. The article discusses how U.S. housing prices and mortgage loan interest rates are down and offers advice from financial professionals about how to make a decision between a house and stocks. The advice includes taking your time in making the decision, not assuming that housing prices will be the same everywhere, and looking past the raw numbers.

The article discusses the career of financier William Miller, chairman of Legg Mason Capital Management Inc., who led Legg Mason Value Trust in outperforming the S&P 500 index for 15 consecutive years before 2006. In 2008, Miller made bad investments in the stocks of the firms American International Group Inc. and Freddie Mac, which drove Legg Mason to lose 55% of its value.

The article presents a profile of the Saudi Arabian financier Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman and chief executive of Kingdom Holding Co., in relation to his influence on the economic conditions of the U.S. in 2009 and its future trajectory. A time-line is given highlighting his leadership of Saudi Arabian foreign investment in the U.S. economy, particularly regarding his financial stake in Citigroup.

The article presents a profile of U.S. financier William Gross in relation to his influence on the economic conditions of the nation in 2009 and its future trajectory. Details are given outlining his career in business leadership with the Pacific Investment Management Co. and comments are given highlighting his philosophy of credit and debt finance.

The article presents a profile of Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank in relation to his influence on the European and U.S. economic and credit conditions in 2009 and its future policy trajectory. A time-line is given outlining his education and rising career in governmental finance management in France.

This article suggests that cash savings be protected from risk while maximizing return by investing in bank products such as money market accounts and certificates of deposit. Both types of accounts are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. up to $250,000 per person, per institution. It is suggested that consumers shop for the best rate of return on each type of account.

The author discusses basic strategies for investing in exchange traded funds (ETF). ETFs are better than most mutual funds for young investors and other investors who do not have large amounts of money. ETFs allow people to diversify their investments with relatively small amounts of money. By investing money regularly into ETFs, even low-income investors can earn large returns.

The article provides advice on investing strategies that involve exchange traded funds (ETF). ETFs are gaining in popularity and offer some advantages over traditional mutual funds. Many actively managed mutual funds actually underperform the market. ETFs have no management fees and allow individual investors to have control over when they buy and sell. Financial expert Tom Lydon recommends making investment changes during the 2008 financial crisis.

The article offers information about different types of investor personalities for people older than 50, drawn from a study released by the U.S. advising company Transamerica Retirement Management. Venturers are described as confident risk-takers with special vulnerability during market instability. Adapters, anchors, and pursuers are the other investor types listed in the study.

The article describes the author's ground rules for managing her investment portfolio in preparation for a market upturn. Some of the strategies discussed are her initial choice of stocks and funds and her decision to use a discount brokerage. She also explains why she chose a mechanical strategy instead of actively managed funds.

The article reports advice for bond-investors from Marilyn Cohen, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Envision Capital Management. After describing several bond funds the author discusses what type of bonds to invest in and how to gauge bond risk. No matter what type of bond, Cohen's advice is to focus on the credit quality.

The article focuses on investing advice from Bruce Berkowitz, manager of mutual fund Fairholme. He discusses the advantage of having cash when stock prices are low and what he looks for when picking companies. The article also discusses some similarities between Berkowitz strategies and that of investor Warren Buffett.

As part of a segment on the healthiest places in the U.S. to retire, this article discusses Longmeadow, Massachusetts. The appeal of Longmeadow to retirees is its location, which is in western Massachusetts near the Berkshire mountains. Topics include a description of the town, outdoor activities such as bird watching, drives to view foliage, and gardening, and comments from several residents about life in Longmeadow.

The article discusses clean technology which includes the use of solar thermal power, pond scum, and energy from the ocean. Solar thermal power is created by the use of mirrors that projects the rays of sun on liquid which turns to steam. Pond scum is able to produce 30 to 100 times as much oil per acre and wave power could be used to turn turbines on the ocean floor.

The article presents an analysis of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and how they compare with other retirement financing options such as 401(k) plans. An overview of how ETFs function and how ETF trading works is included. The article also offers an analysis of how the author believes ETFs will perform and compete in the retirement market.

The article discusses investing in annuities, insurance industry investment products. The lack of popularity for annuities as investments is discussed. A review of the basic annuity concepts is included, such as the timing of payments, and extra expenses associated with them. The manner in which the financial services industry is attempting to simplify and streamline the process of buying annuities is detailed.