Buddhists believe that there is no future and no past. There is only now. Investors would be wise to add a little Buddhism into their portfolio style these days. Obviously, Buddha isn't here, but there is a viable stand-in and his name is Richard Band.

Beijing has taken great strides to improve its air quality, cleanliness, and airport efficiency in preparation for the Olympics. On my recent trip to China, I was quite impressed with the improvements and how one of my stock recommendations is poised for great growth.

My mentor in this business made a fortune buying stocks when there was blood in the streets. Over his 25 plus years in the business he made the majority of his gains in the aftermath of complete devastation.

There is simply no better trait than to have an unflappable mind when dealing with the often maniacal movements of the market. In early March, Dan Wiener of The Independent Advisor for Vanguard Investors interviewed Jim Barrow, manager of the Vanguard Selected Value Fund for his insight on the current market condition.

Right now, Taiwan is one of my favorite stock markets in Asia. There are some major political changes currently taking effect in Taiwan, and they have created once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunities for us. Let's take a look at Taiwan's improving economy, and how we can profit from it.

Picking stocks in a volatile stock market can be a tricky business. InvestorPlaceBlogs.com stock pickers have a proven track record of beating the pros and the market. We've scoured their portfolios and posts to bring you the very best they have to offer in today's market. Find out which stocks they are buying!

I've often commented on the resiliency of the U.S. economy. When faced with adversity, the American worker works harder to carry us out of any economic decline. If you think the American worker is determined what does that make the Chinese worker? In China, making things happen has resulted in double-digit growth!

The funny thing about pessimism is that once it takes hold, investors assume that it will last forever. The stock market exhibits these same human tendencies in a bear market. Pessimism never seems to end… except that it almost always does! That's why the best investors, like Richard Band, keep an even keel no matter the situation.

Does anyone else wonder what would have happened had the Federal Reserve not bailed out Bear Stearns? If you believe the propaganda, we very well may have avoided financial Armageddon. But is that really true? As a die hard free market guy, the intervention bothers me at a base level. But, for those investors who manage their portfolios with ETFs, the Bear Stearns bailout provides the "all clear."

Given that the global economy depends on fossil fuels, anything that replaces oil will be quite huge. It is really cut and dry. That's why the solar sector has drawn so much interest. Hey, the sun will be here for billions of years. No worry about supply and no worry about waste. The sun burns clean and the conversion to energy leaves no smokey mess. So why in the world are solar stocks getting pummeled in the market?

It may seem counterintuitive, but investment banks are rolling in the dough. Despite the massive write downs of sub-prime mortgage losses trading desks are making big dollars due to high volumes and volatility. If you think of your own portfolio as a mini-investment bank, you can do the same. Here's how.

As we all know, every major Wall Street investment banks have been hit hard by the mortgage crisis. But what many investors don't realize is that many of these firms had to be bailed out by Sovereign Wealth Funds form China and other Asian countries. Here's what they do and how they bailed out U.S. Banks.

At a time when investor uncertainty is high, individuals considering throwing in the towel may be better served by letting someone else steer the ship! They can't. That's why now is the perfect time to augment your portfolio with mutual funds. And a good place to start is Dan Wiener's The Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors.

As I write this missive, the global markets are selling off in the wake of the Bear Stearns implosion. Remarkably the U.S. market is not following suit, well at least not yet. Could the markets be any more uncertain? I think not. So, what is an investor to do in this crazy environment? Ride the rails!

I'm really happy for those Wall Street fat cats that have been saved once again by our philanthropic Federal Reserve, but the recently announced bailout will do nothing to help Main Street. In fact, one could make a serious argument that the emergency action to infuse $200 billion of liquidity into the credit market will only make things worse for the average investor. While the market rallied (can anyone say DEAD CAT BOUNCE?) after the news, oil prices continued their ascent. We hit $110 per barrel and that price will hit you and me right where we can least afford it. If you are not up in arms about all of this you should be! The government is being run by a bunch of dopes that want to steal your money. Here's what you should do now.

Are you ready to ride the green wave? No, I'm not talking about Tulane! This green wave is all about alternative energy and the companies that help our society move away from the choking effects of carbon burning. Green has always been the color of money. And this clean energy stock will be rolling in it in no time!

We all know that the market is inefficient. At any moment in time we can find specific stock stories that can be exploited for short term profits. That's the theory behind Jon Markman's StrataGem portfolio offered in his top performing Strategic Advantage newsletter service. In March, his selection of Anadarko Petroleum (APC) caught my eye. Here's why...

The market takes no prisoners at times like this. As a result, some really good companies are being thrown out with the bath water. Take for example defensive play, Yum Brands (Symbol: YUM), the company that operates various restaurants, including KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Since reaching a high of $40.60 in November, shares have dropped by 13%. Some reward at a time when the company actually raised guidance for 2008 from $1.82 per share to $1.85 per share. So, what gives?