GimliJan

Astra-Zeneca Flies to 'Jupiter' on Drug Results

For anyone who has high cholesterol and a history of heart disease, I highly recommend reading "The Eight Week Cholesterol Cure" by Robert Kowalski. I had very high Cholesterol levels over 350 total with almost no HDL and all LDL. After three months of Zocor I was sick to my stomach and saw only a 5% reduction in my cholesterol levels. The doctor wanted to up the dosage ignoring the side effects as "necessary". I did my own research into high cholesterol and discovered this book. In three months of following this simple plan of using time release Niacin, using Oat Bran and making sure I get my daily allowance of it in my meals and eating healthy as recommended in the book, I dropped my cholesterol from 377 to 244. In Six months I was below 200. Last May during my annual physical I was at 170 with the recommended levels of LDL and HDL. I do take a low 10mg dosage of Lipitor but plan on cutting that out to see if I can hold my cholesterol to normal without it.
So much for better health care by taking the latest drug the pharmaceutical companies push! Just think of the money I saved myself, my family, my insurance company and the government by taking responsibility for my own health and welfare!

10 Dividend Stocks for Enterprising Investors

I looked forward to reading this article and came away disappointed. I try to follow the value investing philosophy of Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffet, etc. but also need growth.
I have watched Pfizer, Bristol-Meyers, Merck and Dupont since I started investing last November. None of them has impressed me with their performance versus the dividend stocks and MLP's I purchased and hold or held. (Buy and Hold is not dead as advertised by many pundits). I have not run the calculations to see how many of the metrics described my choices met, but all except one met my three most important metrics.
1.) They pay a dividend that has been consistent over a long time.
2.) The stock price has shown growth or at least stability. Stability measured by how the stock price has performed in it's industry group and market.
3.) I have made or am making a profit!
You will see that I have a mix of SuperOil. MLP's Pipeline Operators, Canadian Energy Trusts, Technology & Utility Stocks.
I plan on holding these long term and adding overseas dividend companies and US companies in the Food, Agriculture, Water Utilities sectors.
I have other speculative holdings in my portfolio in Pharmacuetical stocks that are smaller companies that have huge growth potential on drug approvals.
Teppco (TPP now a part of EPD) Bought from $18.92 to $35
Converted to EPD stock at 1 to 1:24 at $28.85 a share. Cash Distribution for TPP was 8.9%, for EPD is $2.21 / 7.75%
Kinder-Morgan Energy Partnership (KMP) Bought at $47.74 Current Price $55.07 Cash Distribution $4.20 / 7.63%
Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGH) Bought at $9.38 Current Price $9.55 Cash Distr $0.79 / 8.23%
Provident Energy Trust (PVX) Bought at $6.50 Current Price $6.55 Cash Distr $0.70 / 10.52%
Microsoft (MSFT) Bought at $21.82 Current Price $28.52 Dividend $0.52 / 1.82%
Intel (INTC) Bought at $16.24 Current Price $18.93 Dividend $0.56 / 2.96%
Ituran Control (ITRN) Bought at $8.63 Current Price $12.60 Dividend $0.17 / 1.35%
Duke Energy Corp. (DUK) Bought at $15.94 Current Price $16.05 Dividend $0.96 5.98%
Corning (GLW) Bought at $15.85 Current Price $15.30 Dividend $0.20 / 1.31%
British Petroleum (BP) Bought at $35.50 Sold at $57.95 & 57.20 Dividend 6.8%
I sold BP last week due to anticipation of a market correction. I plan on buying back in at a lower price.
GE Bought at $16.05 Sold $14.91 (Only Loss on Stock Price) Dividend
I owned GE until last week when I felt an overdue market correction would wipe out my small profit so I cashed out to buy back in at a lower price.