We're all waiting for the Fed announcement shortly after 2 pm today, where it is widely expected that the Fed will cut its benchmark interest rate in half to 50 basis points. According to Bloomberg, with Fed rates at zero, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will then move on to A href=http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087sid=aBYiNV2dvxxAamp;refer=homeSTRONGusing the Fed's balance sheet as the key tool for monetary policy/STRONG/A. Options include purchasing Treasuries to inject more cash into the economy.brbrBut where is all this money going to come from? As a result of all the bailouts for banks, automakers and other new federal outlays, our nation’s budget deficit is expected to reach $A href=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/11/25/federal-deficit-hit-t/STRONG1 TRILLION in 2009/STRONG/A. And that DOESN’T include the new, A href=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103amp;sid=a71zVDCW.KiYamp;refer=usSTRONG$1 trillion stimulus plan /STRONG/Athat Barack Obama’s economic team is reportedly working on.brbrWe are seeing paper money debased. And that looks like a good time to own gold to me.brbrSTRONGHere is other news ...

The election of Barack Obama as president is essentially a vote for green energy over fossil fuels, says Andy Obermueller. Even though oil prices have fallen, wind power is a renewable energy source with a big global future. And investors should move quickly to make big profits when the government pumps money into the industry.

This from Smart Profits Report:

The winds of change are coming…

Not only does that include Barack Obama taking office in a little under two months time, it could also include a natural energy resource receiving an increasing amount of attention.

Last year was a breakthrough year for the U.S. wind industry, with total wind-power capacity rising by 45%. That accounted for 30% of all new power production.

And if you think wind made impressive advances when an oilman was in the White House, just wait until President Barack Obama takes office.

During the presidential election, Obama made renewable and alternative

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Western Standard Energy Corp. is an independent oil and gas exploration company focused on providing domestic energy resources for a secure America. By teaming with partners and third-party service companies that are willing to incur the majority of costs and work associated with the exploration and drilling process, Western Standard is able to retain a lean corporate structure that favors increased return on investment.

One of those partnerships is the newly signed agreement with East Dickenson Oil and Gas Co. The agreement covers a package of 10 State of North Dakota oil & gas exploration leases in and around Dickinson, North Dakota. The new leases effectively add around 750 net acres to the company’s exploration assets. All the Leases have a 1/8 royalty to the State of North Dakota, with the exception of two of the Leases, which have a 1/6 royalty.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects world consumption of

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The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union will vote this Saturday on whether to end its two-month strike against The Boeing Co. (BA). A tentative agreement to end the strike was reached Monday.

Boeing’s shares soared $6.55 each, or 15.5%, to close at $48.91. They are still down 50% from their 12-month high of $98.71 and are down 45% for the year.

It was the longest strike in 13 years: The union walked out for 28 days in 2005 and 69 days in 1995.

Both sides claimed victory this time around.The union said that it “won the battle and made some significant gains,” while Boeing claimed it had “retained the flexibility necessary” to manage its business, Reuters reported.

Saturday will be the 57th day of the walkout by unionized machinist workers, who have shut down Boeing’s commercial-jetliner-assembly business since they left their jobs on Sept. 6., in a dispute over contract

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The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union will vote this Saturday on whether to end its two-month strike against The Boeing Co. (BA). A tentative agreement to end the strike was reached Monday. Boeing’s shares soared $6.55 each, or 15.5%, to close at $48.91. They are still down 50% from their 12-month high of $98.71 and are down 45% for the year. It was the longest strike in 13 years: The union walked out for 28 days in 2005 and 69 days in 1995. Both sides claimed victory this time around. Sign up below… and we’ll send you a new investment report for free: “Credit Crisis Report.” ...

Headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd. is an upscale, modern, and casual restaurant chain. Trading on the NASDAQ Global Market, the Company features affordable, high quality, family favorite menu items. In addition to food, they also have their own on-site brewery in each location. Founded in 1997, Granite City has a current market capitalization of $8.10 million.

The Company opened their first restaurant in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 1999. From there, they proceeded to open their next restaurant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in December of 2000. Next in line was their Fargo, North Dakota location, which opened in November of 2001. Today, Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd. operates 25 restaurants in eleven Midwestern states.

The Company’s focus is on made-from-scratch recipes, which they serve to their patrons in generous portions. They also serve handcrafted beers in the moderate price point range. They produce unique

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Juhl Wind (JUHL) focuses on the development, operation, and management of medium-scale community wind farms in the Midwestern United States and Canada. Juhl develops wind power communities in Minnesota, Nebraska and North Dakota. The company also provides development, management, and consulting services to various wind farm projects. Juhl is expanding as the demand for alternative energy sources grows. In August, the company announced three new wind farm projects in Minnesota.

Even though prices of crude oil have declined recently, the per barrel price of around $85 is still more than double what it was five years ago. The US government has attempted to lead the charge for more alternative methods of creating energy beyond traditional fossil fuels. The Global Wind Energy Council expects wind power use to increase by 64 percent over the next three years, which could be a boon for Juhl Wind and its shareholders. More than half of

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Data released today reveals an unexpected 7.4% jump in the pending home sales index. Andrew Snyder says the housing market is at or close to a bottom now. This means it could be the perfect time to buy a dream property on the cheap...

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The wild instability in current markets has me thinking...

"Washington Mutual Becomes the Biggest Bank to Fail in U.S. History," blares a headline.

"Bailout Talks Implode During Day of Chaos," screams another.

That can't possibly be good for the markets, right?  You'd have to think that the Dow and the Select Sector SPDRS Financials ETF (XLF) will be taking another nosedive today unless the government gets it together. In a major league show of brinksmanship, Paulson et al announced the big bailout assuming (correctly) that if you don't follow through and actually fund the plan, that it could exacerbate the situation.  I mean if you make the announcement, at that point, you can hardly NOT fund the bailout, right?

Crazy times.

And our job is to tell you what it means for you as an index and ETF investor.  Does it mean get ready to

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In the natural resources exploration and development game, all the testing and exploration in the world is of little use unless the end-product can be extracted at a profitable cost/price ratio. For the most part, achieving this ratio requires excellent planning and execution to maximize yield and minimize cost. From an investment perspective, a management team with a valid, long-term plan and the capacity to make it work is required. An investor who can find such a team, and company, with development prospects is an investor who will most likely profit.

Petrosearch Energy Corp., an oil and gas exploration and development company, works to exploit oil and gas deposits primarily in Texas. The company holds exploration and near-term development properties in North Dakota and Mississippi.

From all appearances, the company is following a well-calculated and forward-thinking strategy of exploration and development. February 2006 found the company entering the Barnett Shale region

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