Briefly Noted

Stocks
Developing an Intuitive Feel for the Mechanics of Growth
Major investment and planning decisions require judgments concerning growth. But most investors don't understand growth mechanics, particularly over long time periods. How to develop an intuitive feel for growth figures--without using a financial calculator.

Features
AAII's Best of the Net: 2007 Guide to the Top Investment Web Sites, 11th edition
Our Best of the Net ratings go to investment Web sites that provide investment information or services that are useful, substantial and available for free or at a reasonable price.

First Cut
The First Cut: Low Price Relative to Net Assets
A starting point for investors. This issue's focus is on companies whose stocks are trading at a price that is low relative to their net current assets per share.

Stock Screens
Style Diversification Using the James O'Shaughnessy Approach
While stock investors have been debating the merits of growth versus value strategies for decades, James O'Shaughnessy has shown that both approaches work--but on different kinds of stocks. How to screen for growth and value using the O'Shaughnessy approach.

Insurance Products
The Unsettled State of the Life Settlement Market
Is your old policy worth more than its surrender value? That's what the life settlement market would have many older policyholders believe. But usually the transactions make little sense--unless you are the agent earning an enormous commission. Why it pays to be wary.

Offbeat Offerings
Offbeat Offerings: Fixed-Rate Capital Securities
A starting point for investors. This issue's focus is on fixed-rate capital securities--debt/equity hybrids that offer attractive yields, fixed-income payments and a higher claim than preferred shares.

Departments
Letters to the Editor
Member questions and comments on recent AAII Journal articles.

Departments
Briefly Noted
Current news items of interest to individual investors.

Investor Professor
Developing an Intuitive Feel for the Mechanics of Growth
Major investment and planning decisions require judgments concerning growth. But most investors don't understand growth mechanics, particularly over long time periods. How to develop an intuitive feel for growth figures--without using a financial calculator.