Income Tax Time

When you're doing your taxes,remember our military men and women.They are worth every dime we spend on them.The same applies to our national parks,monuments and forests.Think about them,and the stress starts to fade.

Navy Personnel

As of October 2007,the Navy had 337,690 active duty personnel.There were 51,428 officers,281,872 enlisted and 4,390 midshipmen.Mobilized reserves totaled 5,805.The Department of the Navy employed 175,416 civilians.

Morningstar Recommendations

Morningstar(MORN) recommends these food companies:General Mills(GIS),Kellogg(K),Campbell Soup(CPB),Kraft Foods(KFT) and ConAgra Foods(CAG).

Spring Holidays

The spring holidays are fast approaching.A special greeting to our military men and women,many of whom have pulled repeated tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.We cannot thank you enough.Despite the years of absence,you are still vivid in our minds.Have a blessed spring.

Evolved Seasparrow Defends Ships

The RIM-62 Evolved Seasparrow Missile(ESSM) provides the Navy with the most advanced defense against antiship cruise missiles.The ESSM is highly maneuverable,with supersonic speed and greater range than its predecessor,the RIM-7.Its MK139 warhead is expressly designed to destroy hardened antiship cruise missiles.That is why it is a defensive weapon of choice for eight NATO allies and Australia.The Evolved Seasparrow is made by Raytheon(RTN) and an international consortium.

Goldman Upgrades

Goldman Sachs(GS) has upgraded JC Penney(JCP) to buy from hold,and Medco Health(MHS) to buy from neutral.

Admiral Fallon Resigns

Admiral William Fallon has resigned from his Middle East command,which includes Iraq and Afghanistan.According to Defense Secretary Robert Gates,it wasn't just one issue,but an accumulation of problems the admiral had with the Bush administration.The military isn't totally different from the business world.Sometimes even the best of leaders don't fit into their position.Consider Chuck Prince,who resigned as CEO of Citigroup(C).No one disliked him.He just wasn't able to turn the firm around fast enough.He wasn't stupid or dishonest.It just didn't work out.

Basketball Success

Navy played a notable season in the Patriot League.They achieved a regular season record of 16-13.It was Navy's best record since the 2000-2001 season,when they finished 19-12.Guard Greg Sprink shot 21.2 points a game and was the Patriot League's player of the year.Coach Billy Lange was voted coach of the year.Congratulations to the blue and gold!

Upgrades

Merrill Lynch(MER) has upgraded Oracle(ORCL) to a buy from neutral.Wachovia(WB) has upgraded Pier One(PIR) to outperform from peer perform.

Aggravating Election

If I am aggravated about the votes of Michigan and Florida Democrat voters not counting,you can imagine how those voters feel-I don't even live in those states.These voters are being disenfranchised by the stupidity of their leaders,who refused to follow the rules.Making a point at the risk of nullifying the votes was extremely childish,to say the least.Hopefully some arrangement can be reached by the time of the Democrat's convention this summer.Those voters deserve no less than their constitutional rights.

Memorial Ship Christened

The USS New York(LPD 21),a vessel forged in tragedy,was christened on 1 March in Avondale,Louisiana.The ship's bow stem,or front edge,contains 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center rubble,and she stood up to Hurricane Katrina.An amphibious transport dock,the New York carries 699 Marines and their equipment,including the MV22 Osprey,a vertical take-off and landing aircraft.Her sister ship,the Arlington(LPD 24),is under construction,and evokes the 9-11 attack on the Pentagon in Arlington,Virginia,as well as Arlington National Cemetery.The USS New York's home port will be in Norfolk,Virginia.

Dividend Increases

Among companies increasing their dividends are Allstate(ALL),Colgate Palmolive(CL) and Waste Management(WMI).