I’m No Expert…

If you’re interested in investing in the solar industry and you’re like me, not an expert in picking solar technologies and companies, ETFs (exchange traded funds) or mutual funds may be a way to go. ETFs are a good way to invest in a sector while spreading the risk by diversifying your investment in that sector. ETFs are similar to mutual funds in that they hold a collection of stocks, thereby giving you a diversified portfolio with just one purchase. But unlike mutual funds, they are traded on exchanges, where you can buy and sell them throughout the day.

Two ETFs have recently launched providing access to the solar energy market. Both emphasize pure plays in the solar industry, meaning they provide targeted exposure to a select group of companies around the world that are principally engaged in the solar energy industry: [Read more →]

Tags: Economy, Energy, Renewable energy by Jay Stuart
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Ever want to get in on a ground floor opportunity? That’s how I see the renewable energy stocks. Renewable energy is our energy future and solar looks to be a big part of that. This is an industry in its infancy. I’m no expert…but I have liked solar stocks for awhile and the lower priced ones in particular. I look at them as a long-term investment. As Warren Buffet said, “Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.” Many solar stocks have pulled back in the past months and now offer great buys.

But why take it from me? As I said, I’m no expert, so you may want to hear from those with a little more investing expertise:
Bright Skies for solar (CNBC; 4/25/08)

Tags: Economy, Renewable energy by Jay Stuart
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There is more to a freelance career than providing your special service. You need to be a good businessperson too. Negotiating fees, managing your receivables, and collecting payments are now all part of your job. And not getting paid on time is one of the freelancer’s biggest headaches. Most freelancers I know are uncomfortable about calling when payments are late, myself included. But it’s part of the job and has to be done. Below are a few tips that may help for getting paid on time. [Read more →]

Tags: Home office by Jay Stuart
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I’m no expert… but I can’t think of a worse idea for the future of the country than suspending the federal gasoline tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day as Senator John McCain proposes. Thinking only short-term Senator McCain seeks to help stimulate the economy by saving consumers a few dollars on a tank of gas that they can spend elsewhere. But by encouraging gasoline consumption, which is what suspending the gas tax actually accomplishes, Senator McCain’s proposal will increase global demand for oil, pushing oil and gas prices higher ultimately offsetting the tax cut. What’s worse, come Labor Day consumers will be in for even a greater price shock when the price of gas jumps to an even higher level. [Read more →]

Tags: Economy, Energy, Politics, Renewable energy by Jay Stuart
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Nanosolar CEO Martin Roscheisen posted an eye opening article on the Nanosolar Blog touting the potential benefits of building Municipal Solar Power Plants at the outskirts of towns and cities to feed power directly into the municipal electricity grid. “Municipal solar power plants,” he wrote, “are an avenue for delivering a GigaWatt of power in a state through one solar farm each in a few hundred cities — local to where the power is needed — as opposed to constructing a new coal-fired or nuclear plant. They can also be deployed very rapidly. (It takes 10-15 years to get a new coal plant done; a solar plant can be done in 12 months — provided no administrative blocks exist).” [Read more →]

Tags: Energy, Renewable energy by Jay Stuart
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Did you ever wonder how investment banks sold mortgage securites?:

Tags: Economy, Humor by Jay Stuart
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Wind power is one of the world’s fastest growing sources of energy worldwide. In the U.S. wind power capacity has grown by an average of 29% each year for last five years – 2003-2007 and is now producing just over 1% of the total U.S. energy. Denmark, Spain, and some regions of Germany now generate 10% to 25% of their electricity with wind power. With the U.S. Congress on the verge of extending tax credits for renewable energy, future for wind power is encouraging. Here are a few interesting facts about wind power and its potential: [Read more →]

Tags: Energy, Renewable energy by Jay Stuart
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There are all types of diets out there. Most of them work if you could actually stay with it and that of course is the hardest part. I recently lost 15 pounds by finding out what worked best “for me” and learning how to stick to it. Fifteen pounds may not seem like an imposing amount, but it took a long time before I learned how to lose even one. Here are a few tips I used for developing a diet plan and sticking to it. [Read more →]

Tags: Health by Jay Stuart
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Ten years ago I left my job in advertising to begin a freelance career from home. I never looked back. I am often asked how I do it. People who work in offices assume that it must take a lot of discipline, expecting there to be too many distractions at home. I treat it just as I did when I went into an office, except my commute and boss are a lot better. Here are a few things I did that may help you: [Read more →]

Tags: Home office by Jay Stuart
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Here’s a little background information first: we had two dogs, Bailey a chocolate lab and Barney a collie/retriever mix. Barney always thought he was the alpha and I think Bailey, who was twice his size let him. However, when Barney went a little too far, Bailey would quickly put him in his place. It was an odd game they played, but they always seemed to work it out.

In the evening, [Read more →]

Tags: Pets by Jay Stuart
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