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  • Member You - Wall Street to Main Street: News, Views and Commentary: May 2, 2006

    What is the Right Debt Consolidation Program for You?
    Life is no bed or roses, we all know this but there is no reason why you should stay in a state of anxiety if you have financial worries. Be sure of the fact that you are not alone in that most dreary of circumstances. That is unless you rub shoulders with celebrities and millionaires and have the bank balance to justify it. Alas, you can't wave the magic wand and make that wish come true so you must deal with it somehow. While you do this you will sooner or later come to look at debt consolidation as an option for you to consider. As you ponder over it you will probably weigh up the pros and cons and decide it is an option you would like. However you will then find that there are many programs available by many different companies and finding the one that matches your circumstance is something you must investigate fully.Debt Consolidation programs are much like choosing what type of car you want to drive. When you choose a car you normally do so because you need transport to take you from place to place in a fast, easier and convenient manner. This is the same approach you should take with Debt Consolidation. It has to be something that will fit easily and conveniently and that fits your lifestyle.Once you have drawn up a list of debt consolidation programs you are on your way to choosing a solution that could relieve you from the financial burden blighting your life. This is great, but don't forget that it is not something that comes for free, so you must choose the right on
    gs (NYSE: BID) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by Sidoti & Co.

    Recent Analyst downgrades include Men’s Warehouse (NYSE: MW) which was downgraded to a Neutral from an Overweight by J.P. Morgan, American Ecology (NASDAQ: ECOL) was downgraded to a Neutral from a Buy by Sidoti & Co, Holly Corporation (NYSE: HOC) was downgraded to a Hold from a Buy by Deutsche Bank Securities, Big Lots (NYSE: BLI) was downgraded to a Underperform from a Market Perform by Piper Jaffray, Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Lehman Brothers and Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Morgan Stanley.

    Recent Analyst Coverage Initiations include Nextest Systems (NASDAQ: NEXT) which was initiated with an Outperform rating by Cowen & Co, Tradestation Group (NASDAQ: TRAD) was initiated with a Buy rating and a price target of $22 by Sidoti & Co, Invitrogen Corp (NASDAQ: IVGN) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $80 price target by Deustche Bank Securities, Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $50 price target by Citigroup Investmen

    Problem-Solving Success Tip: Test Your Assumptions About Everything
    Test your assumptions about everything.Assumptions have a way of creeping into all parts of a problem-solving project. They’re often wrong, which can lead to a lot of wasted effort and even cause a problem-solving project to fail entirely. It’s very easy to take a strongly stated assertion as true, especially if it’s the boss who makes it. Remind everyone involved to be skeptical and on the watch for untested assumptions.Problem definition.Check the facts first to be sure that you and your team understand the problem the same way, and that you have data to confirm that the problem is important. Testing assumptions about the problem definition could include interviewing participants, collecting measurements, creating flow charts of what really happened, etc.Organizing your project.Don’t assume that the resources you need to solve the problem will automatically be available to you. Solving a messy problem is a project. Treat it that way by developing a project plan, obtaining sponsorship, getting commitment to participate from key players, etc.Root Cause Analysis.This is a favorite spot for untested assumptions to show up, especially if you use a root cause analysis method based on brainstorming. Once you’ve got a list of possible causes, be sure to collect data, devise tests or do whatever you have to verify which causes are real.Choosing solutions.Test assumptions about proposed solutions by answ
    It’s Tuesday May 2, 2006, and over a million immigrant workers protested across the United States raising both the flags of their native countries and the American Flag. But some believe that this protest caused more harm than good while others call it a success, but only time will tell if it served its purpose. As we mentioned yesterday the protest was in regards to a bill that would make being an illegal immigrant in the United States a felony.

    Several companies gave immigrant workers the “May Day” off to avoid an uproar at any of their facilities.

    The NAMC Newswire’s “Wall Street to Main Street” segment in its entirety is only available to subscribers. Don’t miss out and Keep in mind that all subscriptions are free and will remain that way. All that you need to do is go to www.namcnewswire.com and add your email address to receive the full segments. We value your privacy and all email addresses are only used for NAMC related items and not shared with any third parties.

    We want to hear from our readers/listeners, so drop us a line, maybe you have a question about a certain company or perhaps you want to introduce us to a company that we should know about.. All that you need to do is either shoot us out an email using our contact form on our website at www.namcnewswire.com or give us a call toll free at 888-463-9237 between the hours of 6:30pm and 12am EST weekdays. Your question could be a part of the Wall Street to Main Street radio show that is syndicated daily.

    Remember that you can always listen to the NAMC Radio on Streetiq.com, the leader in financial podcast. www.streetiq.com and is also available on iTunes.

    Political Front

    In Nepal, the politicians broke bread on Monday and worked out the details to form an interim cabinet after the King agreed to bring back the parliament to avoid any further bloodshed. But at this meeting the Maoist rebels that caused the change were not invited to the party.

    As the United Nations is trying to figure out their next move to checkmate Iran, top diplomats from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council will meet in Paris, France to work on their game plan on reigning in Iran’s aspirations for nuclear power.

    In Italy, someone must have made the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi aware that he actually lost to Prodi as he will finally concede at some point today.

    To round off news on the political front is the Supreme Court ruling yesterday that paved the way for former Playboy Playmate, reality TV show personality and the poster child of TrimSpa, Anna Nicole Smith to pursue the fortune of her late billionaire hubby in court.

    Research in Motion Settles One Claim to Fight a New One

    After coming dangerously close to a BlackBerry shutdown and finally settling with NTP for over $600 million, Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) faces a new adversary in the form of Visto Corp.

    After coming off a successful victory in court that awarded Visto Corp $3.6 million in an infringement lawsuit against the Redwood City, California based Seven Networks, Inc, Visto has set it sights on the big dog Research in Motion and has ask a judge to stop Research in Motion from using Visto’s patented technology and award them unspecified damages. Just to throw our opinion on top this news blip, take a look at Palm (NASDAQ: PALM) if you are interested in a handheld technology company, it’s a better play and less legal woes.

    Movers and Shakers

    Some major movers in yesterday’s trading session included Aramark Corp (NYSE: RMK) which traded up $5.79 to close at $33.90, Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ) which traded up $3.85 to close at $30.68, Nova Chemicals (NYSE: NCX) which traded up $3.59 to close at $33.25, AGCO Corp (NYSE: AG) which traded up $2.64 to close at $26.31, Blue Dolphin Energy (NASDAQ: BDCO) which traded up $1.13 to close at $6.60, National Coal Corp (NASDAQ: NCOC) which traded up $1.88 to close at $11.20, Gigamedia (NASDAQ: GIGM) which traded up $1.45 to close at $9.72, and DXP Enterprises (NASDAQ: DXPE) which traded up $6.07 to close at $46.17.

    Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades

    Recent Analyst upgrades include Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) which was upgraded to a Neutral from a Underweight by J.P. Morgan, Lyondell Chemical (NYSE: LYO) which was upgraded to a Outperform from a Neutral by Credit Suisse, Big 5 Sporting Goods (NASDAQ: BGFV) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by UBS, Automatic Data Processing or ADP (NYSE: ADP) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Hold by Deutsche Bank Securities, and Sotheby’s Holdings (NYSE: BID) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by Sidoti & Co.

    Recent Analyst downgrades include Men’s Warehouse (NYSE: MW) which was downgraded to a Neutral from an Overweight by J.P. Morgan, American Ecology (NASDAQ: ECOL) was downgraded to a Neutral from a Buy by Sidoti & Co, Holly Corporation (NYSE: HOC) was downgraded to a Hold from a Buy by Deutsche Bank Securities, Big Lots (NYSE: BLI) was downgraded to a Underperform from a Market Perform by Piper Jaffray, Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Lehman Brothers and Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Morgan Stanley.

    Recent Analyst Coverage Initiations include Nextest Systems (NASDAQ: NEXT) which was initiated with an Outperform rating by Cowen & Co, Tradestation Group (NASDAQ: TRAD) was initiated with a Buy rating and a price target of $22 by Sidoti & Co, Invitrogen Corp (NASDAQ: IVGN) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $80 price target by Deustche Bank Securities, Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $50 price target by Citigroup Investment

    Hiring Your First Employee
    Whether you are just starting out and need to hire an employee for your new business or your business has grown and the need for help is eminent, there are several things you need to know before you jump into the hiring process. This series of articles will provide you with the information you need to meet this challenge and avoid the pitfalls.First let’s define an employee. The IRS defines an employee as a person you hire whose work is controlled by you including both what is done and how it is done. Whether you pay this person hourly, daily or weekly or by the job are immaterial. Both part-time and full time employments are included in the definition.An employee differs from a sub-contractor. A sub-contractor will work for more than one client, have a defined business, advertise for work, have signage, have general liability insurance and perhaps workman compensation insurance, will have a business phone, business cards, stationery and contracts. A sub-contractor will also make their own hours, determine the work to be done and will provide their own tools and materials necessary to perform the work. If none of these criteria are in play, you are hiring an employee and thus need to meet all of the reporting and legal requirements of an employer.Now you have made your decision to become an employer, where and how do you find a quality employee? You have several options available to you. Word of mouth, advertisements, your state employment agency, private employm
    company that we should know about.. All that you need to do is either shoot us out an email using our contact form on our website at www.namcnewswire.com or give us a call toll free at 888-463-9237 between the hours of 6:30pm and 12am EST weekdays. Your question could be a part of the Wall Street to Main Street radio show that is syndicated daily.

    Remember that you can always listen to the NAMC Radio on Streetiq.com, the leader in financial podcast. www.streetiq.com and is also available on iTunes.

    Political Front

    In Nepal, the politicians broke bread on Monday and worked out the details to form an interim cabinet after the King agreed to bring back the parliament to avoid any further bloodshed. But at this meeting the Maoist rebels that caused the change were not invited to the party.

    As the United Nations is trying to figure out their next move to checkmate Iran, top diplomats from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council will meet in Paris, France to work on their game plan on reigning in Iran’s aspirations for nuclear power.

    In Italy, someone must have made the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi aware that he actually lost to Prodi as he will finally concede at some point today.

    To round off news on the political front is the Supreme Court ruling yesterday that paved the way for former Playboy Playmate, reality TV show personality and the poster child of TrimSpa, Anna Nicole Smith to pursue the fortune of her late billionaire hubby in court.

    Research in Motion Settles One Claim to Fight a New One

    After coming dangerously close to a BlackBerry shutdown and finally settling with NTP for over $600 million, Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) faces a new adversary in the form of Visto Corp.

    After coming off a successful victory in court that awarded Visto Corp $3.6 million in an infringement lawsuit against the Redwood City, California based Seven Networks, Inc, Visto has set it sights on the big dog Research in Motion and has ask a judge to stop Research in Motion from using Visto’s patented technology and award them unspecified damages. Just to throw our opinion on top this news blip, take a look at Palm (NASDAQ: PALM) if you are interested in a handheld technology company, it’s a better play and less legal woes.

    Movers and Shakers

    Some major movers in yesterday’s trading session included Aramark Corp (NYSE: RMK) which traded up $5.79 to close at $33.90, Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ) which traded up $3.85 to close at $30.68, Nova Chemicals (NYSE: NCX) which traded up $3.59 to close at $33.25, AGCO Corp (NYSE: AG) which traded up $2.64 to close at $26.31, Blue Dolphin Energy (NASDAQ: BDCO) which traded up $1.13 to close at $6.60, National Coal Corp (NASDAQ: NCOC) which traded up $1.88 to close at $11.20, Gigamedia (NASDAQ: GIGM) which traded up $1.45 to close at $9.72, and DXP Enterprises (NASDAQ: DXPE) which traded up $6.07 to close at $46.17.

    Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades

    Recent Analyst upgrades include Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) which was upgraded to a Neutral from a Underweight by J.P. Morgan, Lyondell Chemical (NYSE: LYO) which was upgraded to a Outperform from a Neutral by Credit Suisse, Big 5 Sporting Goods (NASDAQ: BGFV) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by UBS, Automatic Data Processing or ADP (NYSE: ADP) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Hold by Deutsche Bank Securities, and Sotheby’s Holdings (NYSE: BID) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by Sidoti & Co.

    Recent Analyst downgrades include Men’s Warehouse (NYSE: MW) which was downgraded to a Neutral from an Overweight by J.P. Morgan, American Ecology (NASDAQ: ECOL) was downgraded to a Neutral from a Buy by Sidoti & Co, Holly Corporation (NYSE: HOC) was downgraded to a Hold from a Buy by Deutsche Bank Securities, Big Lots (NYSE: BLI) was downgraded to a Underperform from a Market Perform by Piper Jaffray, Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Lehman Brothers and Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Morgan Stanley.

    Recent Analyst Coverage Initiations include Nextest Systems (NASDAQ: NEXT) which was initiated with an Outperform rating by Cowen & Co, Tradestation Group (NASDAQ: TRAD) was initiated with a Buy rating and a price target of $22 by Sidoti & Co, Invitrogen Corp (NASDAQ: IVGN) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $80 price target by Deustche Bank Securities, Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $50 price target by Citigroup Investmen

    Wall Street to Main Street: News, Views and Commentary: May 23, 2006
    It’s Tuesday May 23, 2006, and we may get a little boost in the market after several days of it being punch drunk. Investors should see this as an opportunity to do some bottom fishing as the sell off is based on the fear of interest rate hikes but it’s a sell off across the board and there are companies that are at a deep discount right now. So this is where due diligence comes into play.The much anticipated Vonage IPO will be priced at some point tonight and they are doing something unique and offering their long time customers the opportunity to get a piece of the pie. They are offering the IPO to their most loyal customers and this pure play on Voip has come analyst on the fence. With AT&T (NYSE: T), Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S), CableVision (NYSE: CVC), TimeWarner (NYSE: TWX), Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and others setting up the triple play and moving towards the quadruple play, which includes television, Voip and Internet, some think that the competition will be stiff for Vonage. But in actuality this is a very important IPO as it will paint a good picture of the interest on the street for pure play Voip companies.The NAMC Newswire’s “Wall Street to Main Street” segment in its entirety is only available to subscribers. Don’t miss out and keep in mind that all subscriptions are FREE and will remain that way. All that you need to do is go to www.namcnewswire.com and add your email address to receive the full segments. We value your privacy and all email addresses are only used for NAMC r
    r Silvio Berlusconi aware that he actually lost to Prodi as he will finally concede at some point today.

    To round off news on the political front is the Supreme Court ruling yesterday that paved the way for former Playboy Playmate, reality TV show personality and the poster child of TrimSpa, Anna Nicole Smith to pursue the fortune of her late billionaire hubby in court.

    Research in Motion Settles One Claim to Fight a New One

    After coming dangerously close to a BlackBerry shutdown and finally settling with NTP for over $600 million, Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) faces a new adversary in the form of Visto Corp.

    After coming off a successful victory in court that awarded Visto Corp $3.6 million in an infringement lawsuit against the Redwood City, California based Seven Networks, Inc, Visto has set it sights on the big dog Research in Motion and has ask a judge to stop Research in Motion from using Visto’s patented technology and award them unspecified damages. Just to throw our opinion on top this news blip, take a look at Palm (NASDAQ: PALM) if you are interested in a handheld technology company, it’s a better play and less legal woes.

    Movers and Shakers

    Some major movers in yesterday’s trading session included Aramark Corp (NYSE: RMK) which traded up $5.79 to close at $33.90, Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ) which traded up $3.85 to close at $30.68, Nova Chemicals (NYSE: NCX) which traded up $3.59 to close at $33.25, AGCO Corp (NYSE: AG) which traded up $2.64 to close at $26.31, Blue Dolphin Energy (NASDAQ: BDCO) which traded up $1.13 to close at $6.60, National Coal Corp (NASDAQ: NCOC) which traded up $1.88 to close at $11.20, Gigamedia (NASDAQ: GIGM) which traded up $1.45 to close at $9.72, and DXP Enterprises (NASDAQ: DXPE) which traded up $6.07 to close at $46.17.

    Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades

    Recent Analyst upgrades include Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) which was upgraded to a Neutral from a Underweight by J.P. Morgan, Lyondell Chemical (NYSE: LYO) which was upgraded to a Outperform from a Neutral by Credit Suisse, Big 5 Sporting Goods (NASDAQ: BGFV) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by UBS, Automatic Data Processing or ADP (NYSE: ADP) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Hold by Deutsche Bank Securities, and Sotheby’s Holdings (NYSE: BID) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by Sidoti & Co.

    Recent Analyst downgrades include Men’s Warehouse (NYSE: MW) which was downgraded to a Neutral from an Overweight by J.P. Morgan, American Ecology (NASDAQ: ECOL) was downgraded to a Neutral from a Buy by Sidoti & Co, Holly Corporation (NYSE: HOC) was downgraded to a Hold from a Buy by Deutsche Bank Securities, Big Lots (NYSE: BLI) was downgraded to a Underperform from a Market Perform by Piper Jaffray, Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Lehman Brothers and Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Morgan Stanley.

    Recent Analyst Coverage Initiations include Nextest Systems (NASDAQ: NEXT) which was initiated with an Outperform rating by Cowen & Co, Tradestation Group (NASDAQ: TRAD) was initiated with a Buy rating and a price target of $22 by Sidoti & Co, Invitrogen Corp (NASDAQ: IVGN) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $80 price target by Deustche Bank Securities, Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $50 price target by Citigroup Investmen

    Industrial Mechanical Type Businesses and Considerations
    When people think of businesses often they do not think of Industrial Mechanical type businesses and yet much of the wealth generated in this country comes from such non-thought of businesses. Most folks do not realize that making things that run our civilization is big business and there is lots of it. Consider if you will the current economic condition in the United States. Things are really hopping and there is a lot of money to be made for those who can get things made on time and right the first time.Consider all the needs for new refineries, pipelines, ethanol plants, wind generators, construction materials, bridges, aircraft and up-grading all the tooling to make Harley Davidsons, GM Automobiles and Peterbuild Trucks? What about all those tractors, locomotives, tanker cars and military vehicles too? Some one has to design, make and manufacture all these things.There are structural pieces, ball-bearings, fittings, valves and hundreds of thousands of machined moving parts, which must be built at specific tolerances otherwise well they just will not work. This is something that America is well suited for, getting the job and the parts right the first time. Find a need and fill an important customers desires and you win. There are a million niches to fill too from Space Shuttle parts to the next cruise ship. So, do not sell industry short when considering a business category to hang your hat on.
    and less legal woes.

    Movers and Shakers

    Some major movers in yesterday’s trading session included Aramark Corp (NYSE: RMK) which traded up $5.79 to close at $33.90, Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ) which traded up $3.85 to close at $30.68, Nova Chemicals (NYSE: NCX) which traded up $3.59 to close at $33.25, AGCO Corp (NYSE: AG) which traded up $2.64 to close at $26.31, Blue Dolphin Energy (NASDAQ: BDCO) which traded up $1.13 to close at $6.60, National Coal Corp (NASDAQ: NCOC) which traded up $1.88 to close at $11.20, Gigamedia (NASDAQ: GIGM) which traded up $1.45 to close at $9.72, and DXP Enterprises (NASDAQ: DXPE) which traded up $6.07 to close at $46.17.

    Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades

    Recent Analyst upgrades include Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) which was upgraded to a Neutral from a Underweight by J.P. Morgan, Lyondell Chemical (NYSE: LYO) which was upgraded to a Outperform from a Neutral by Credit Suisse, Big 5 Sporting Goods (NASDAQ: BGFV) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by UBS, Automatic Data Processing or ADP (NYSE: ADP) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Hold by Deutsche Bank Securities, and Sotheby’s Holdings (NYSE: BID) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by Sidoti & Co.

    Recent Analyst downgrades include Men’s Warehouse (NYSE: MW) which was downgraded to a Neutral from an Overweight by J.P. Morgan, American Ecology (NASDAQ: ECOL) was downgraded to a Neutral from a Buy by Sidoti & Co, Holly Corporation (NYSE: HOC) was downgraded to a Hold from a Buy by Deutsche Bank Securities, Big Lots (NYSE: BLI) was downgraded to a Underperform from a Market Perform by Piper Jaffray, Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Lehman Brothers and Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Morgan Stanley.

    Recent Analyst Coverage Initiations include Nextest Systems (NASDAQ: NEXT) which was initiated with an Outperform rating by Cowen & Co, Tradestation Group (NASDAQ: TRAD) was initiated with a Buy rating and a price target of $22 by Sidoti & Co, Invitrogen Corp (NASDAQ: IVGN) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $80 price target by Deustche Bank Securities, Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $50 price target by Citigroup Investmen

    Internet Email Marketing Strategy
    The first step to internet email marketing strategy is to get an autoresponder. You simply cannot make it mailing email online without an autoresponder.The second step to internet email marketing strategy is to build up your list. Some claim this as the first step, but without the autoresponder you will unable to collate the list and reply to them when they respond to your opt-in offer. This is because by far the most fruitful way of building a list is by means of an opt-in list on your website, offering some inducement to visitors who sign up. They do so by providing a name and email address that is added to your list by your autoresponder. Bulk email marketing would be impossible if you did not have a good list of people to email to, and you can’t start that without an autoresponder.The opt-in inducement for your internet email marketing strategy can be a free offer, a newsletter or a free course. The latter is an excellent way of retaining interest since you write a course relevant to your website then preprogram it into your autoresponder to send an email to all who register for it over a period of say, fourteen days. They will keep opening your emails and you can make them offers after each part of the course.Of course any discussion of email marketing strategy would be incomplete without a warning about SPAM laws – learn the laws for your country and abide by them. The penalties are severe.Step Three: The PromotionThe third step to internet emai
    gs (NYSE: BID) which was upgraded to a Buy from a Neutral by Sidoti & Co.

    Recent Analyst downgrades include Men’s Warehouse (NYSE: MW) which was downgraded to a Neutral from an Overweight by J.P. Morgan, American Ecology (NASDAQ: ECOL) was downgraded to a Neutral from a Buy by Sidoti & Co, Holly Corporation (NYSE: HOC) was downgraded to a Hold from a Buy by Deutsche Bank Securities, Big Lots (NYSE: BLI) was downgraded to a Underperform from a Market Perform by Piper Jaffray, Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Lehman Brothers and Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) was downgraded to an Underweight from a Equal Weight by Morgan Stanley.

    Recent Analyst Coverage Initiations include Nextest Systems (NASDAQ: NEXT) which was initiated with an Outperform rating by Cowen & Co, Tradestation Group (NASDAQ: TRAD) was initiated with a Buy rating and a price target of $22 by Sidoti & Co, Invitrogen Corp (NASDAQ: IVGN) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $80 price target by Deustche Bank Securities, Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) was initiated with a Buy rating and a $50 price target by Citigroup Investment Research, and Oshkosh Truck Corp (NYSE: OSK) was initiated with a Outperform and a price target of $75 by Barrington Research.

    Tid Bits

    The powerhouse Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts better known as KKR has major plans to raise over $5 billion in an overseas fund aka an IPO that will change the face of private equity firms and how they raise funds. KKR was the king of leveraged buyouts and continues to reign supreme in the area of raising capital for buyouts. They are innovators in that area and they have just proved that once again, as they will have access to a huge pot after its said and done.

    The CEO of Comverse Technology (NASDAQ: CMVT) as well as two other executives of the company have handed in their resignations amid a potential probe into the timing of stock options grants This is one of a few companies that have faced this issue as of late, one other company that comes to mind is UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH) who has been feeling the pain of the media. Other companies are sure to be hit with this latest issue on the table somewhere down the road..

    Level 3 Communications (NASDAQ: LVLT) will spend over $1 billion to acquire the privately held company TelCove Inc in cash and stock in a bid in an effort to extend its communications network into cities and pick up business clients

    News Corp (NYSE: NWS) is looking at the Internet as a source for additional growth and they would be right about that. They have purchased two Internet companies, one by the name of Newroo, Inc and the other kSolo.com for their Fox Interactive Media unit. These sites allow users to remix their music and media online.

    As we were talking about leveraged buyouts ala KKR, the casino and resort operator Kerzner International (NYSE:KZL) may be bought out by a group of investors led by its chairman and chief executive officer who will pay approximately $3.2 billion, or more than 6 percent above its previous offer.

    Readers Speak

    We received a question from one of our readers/listeners Darry from Washington State and he wanted to know if Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) and post split Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH) were still good buys even thought they both were traded down yesterday.

    Darry, Thank you for the question, and now to give you our view of the situation, the financial industry, more specifically, the brokerage and banking industries are in vogue. Even though certain banks will begin to offer various products that would normally require a fundraising by companies, it will have little impact on companies like Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers. Actually To answer your question specifically, GS coming down a bit and in our view it presents more of a buying opportunity than any negative sentiment. Lehman just completed a 2 for 1 stock split so that has to settle down a bit but it also presents a buying opportunity. Other stocks that you may want to look at in the financial industry include E-Trade(NYSE: ET), Tradestation (NASDAQ: TRAD), Citigroup (NYSE: C), JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC).

    FURIOUS FIVE

    This is the second of our “Furious Five” companies that we see excelling in their industry in 2006. The second addition to this week’s Furious Five is G-III Apparel Group (NASDAQ: GIII) it trades on the Nasdaq under the symbol GIII.

    For the entire segment subscribe to Wall Street to Main Street for FREE at www.namcnewswire.com

    We cannot stress enough that investors need to do their due diligence, call the companies, get the information, consult with your investment advisor and if you do not have one consider getting one. Put the same time into investigating these companies as you do when you go to purchase a new television, it’s only for your protection. When it comes to thinly traded securities stagger your orders or put a limit order in to avoid a run up.

    NAMC Newswire Note

    Go to the NAMC Newswire for updates at www.namcnewswire.com and you can listen to the NAMC Radio for the audio version of “Wall Street to Main Street” at www.namcnewswire.com/namcradio

    To register to receive the Wall Street to Main Street Free Daily Newsletter Click Here or go to our site and click on the Newsletter section. www.namcnewswire.com/newsletter CEO’s that want to contact us can do so by going to www.namcnewswire.com or call us at 888-463-9237.

    Louis Victor
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