USA WORLD CUP SOCCER

Was really dissappointed to see the U.S. team lose to Ghana in the World Cup soccer match. Enjoyed the match tremendously! I've always been a fan of soccer, even though it's not as popular in the U.S. as in other countries around the world. Still looking forward to watching more of the matches, since I'm also a big fan of Brazil and Spain. Anxious to see how these teams play going forward. While it's widely speculated that a South American team will win in the end, I think Spain still has a good chance.

As for my stock investments, I've made all the changes I'm going to make for a while in my portfolio. I'll be watching for opportunities to add additional shares to the issues I currently hold and it's possible I may add some new investments, but I think I'll mostly let everything ride for now. I'll be collecting more in dividends this year than I've ever collected before. Most likely I'll reinvest the enire amount, since I don't really need the money for anything. I keep thinking of it as buying a better future for myself and my family.

Congratulations RIO on 2016 Olympics

Congratulations Rio de Janeiro on being picked to host the 2016 Olympic Games! The country and the good people of Brazil deserve the honor, recognition and prestige that come with hosting the Olympics. The Olympic Committee made an excellent choice.

A huge roar was heard at the famed beach the moment International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said the words "Rio de Janeiro" to announce the winner in Copenhagen on Friday.

As popular President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and football great Pele celebrated in Denmark, the Cariocas, as Rio citizens are known, raised their arms to celebrate on Copacabana, frantically waving flags and hugging each other.

Silva called the win a "sacred day" as he was interviewed in Portuguese by Brazilian reporters in Copenhagen. Brazil's passion, he said, helped Rio win the Olympics against Madrid, Chicago and Tokyo.

The beaming Brazilian leader sobbed later in a news conference when describing how important the victory was for the country.

"I confess to you if I die right now my life would have been worth it," Silva said. "No one can now doubt the strength of Brazil's economy, it's social greatness, and our ability to present a plan."

IMF Revises 2010 Global Growth Upwards

SAO PAULO, - The International Monetary Fund will increase its forecast for global growth next year, in the next few days, to account for a faster recovery in major economies its deputy director said on Monday.

The IMF will raise its forecast for 2010 global growthfrom 2.5% to about 3 percent, said Murilo Portugal, the fund's deputy managing director. The revised forecast could come as soon as Tuesday.

"The recovery is stronger than initially forecast," Portugal, a former deputy finance minister in Brazil, told journalists on the sidelines of a business seminar.

Portugal, without giving detailed forcasts, said Brazil's economy, the largest in Latin America, should grow more than the global average.

In a weekly central bank survey released on Monday economists increased their forecast for gross domestic product growth in Brazil from 4.2% a week earlier to 4.5 % for 2010.

Investing In Brazilian Utilities

In a move to further diversify my portfolio and produce earnings from outside the U.S., I have decided to buy shares in one of Brazil's largest utilities providers, CPFL Energia S A ADR (CPL:NYSE). At their recent price of $51.16, their dividend payout of $3.69 per share represents a current yield of 7.22%. The Group's principal activities are those of a holding company. It operates through its subsidiaries in the generation, distribution and marketing of electricity. The Group has 8 distribution centers serving 568 municipalities in Brazil. It sells electricity nationwide on the free and the regulated market and also provides value added services to its customers. The Group operates in the states of Sao Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, Parana and Minas Gerais.

With Brazil's dynamic progressive and growing economy, demand for electricity will only increase going forward and CPL is in a good position to take advantage of future business. With earnings of $4.19 per share and future earnings expected to increase, the dividend looks to be on stable ground. It should make a fine addition to my long term holdings.

To further diversify my holdings, I will be looking for quality dividend investments from India, China, Canada and possibly Russia.

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Tough Times Call For a New Strategy

When faced with tough economic times, it is important to review your investment strategy and make adjustments in accord with the changes in the direction of the economy. With seemingly no end to massive government spending in the foreseeable future and no provisions made to pay off excess debt, with the exception of some ill advised tax increases, I've decided to take a different approach. Robert Kyosaki, one of my favorite best selling authors, says that the rich make more money in a downward trending market than one that's going up. So I've taken a position in Proshares TWQ exchange traded fund. It is a leveraged ETF that shorts the Russell 3000 index of stocks. While I believe the stock market will eventually recover, I'm hedging my bets by shorting the market.

Another idea I'm looking at is investing more money in foreign shares. I like the fact that the government of Brazil is cutting spending to address their budget shortfalls, as opposed to increasing deficit spending the way our government has. While working with some good people from India on my last job location, I also came to appreciate their strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, something we could use a whole lot more of in the U.S.. So I will be looking at ways to invest in India as well.

While this does represent a new approach to my investment goals, my overall strategy is still the same. Which is, to build a well diversified portfolio of dividend paying stocks to generate a steady stream of present and future income. There is always a way to reach your goal, you just have to find it. During these tough times, as investors, we need to stay on top of changes in the economic environment and change our strategies accordingly.