By Andy Carpenter

A study of the history of opinion is a necessary preliminary to the emancipation of the mind. – John Maynard Keynes

On April 26, a very funny man, named Craig Ferguson, is scheduled to host one of Washington, DC’s, top social events – The White House Correspondent’s Dinner.

It’s a dinner where “official” Washington and its attending press corps get even cozier than usual.

Ferguson is the host of CBS’s Late Late Show. He holds no illusions about his ability to sway the opinions of DC’s two entrenched army’s.

The other day he said, “Do you think Dick Cheney's going to hear two gags from me and say, ‘You know what? I've been wrong!’”

This very honest assessment is one that more writers and info-entertainers need to recognize. After all, our opinions are just that, our opinions…

And keep reading a bit, because I have a helluva an offer for you below and I am not selling a thing… it’s a real offer.

Anyway, at best, we should hope our opinions start a conversation… further an intellectually honest argument. But in such a grossly polarized society, more often than not, our opinions are just fightin’ words – an accelerant – to the chronically intolerant. 

Ferguson’s quip also reminded me of an email I sent to my Asia Business & Investing subscribers on Wednesday. In it, I confessed that I don’t really give a rat’s butt about The Fed, grand theories about the US economy, or whatever those who sell books have labeled the US’s debt crisis.

I’ll probably catch some hell for that. After all, the modern newsletter business is built upon economic pronouncements that are so grand and so hefty, it’s impossible to tote them to the water cooler at work or to the club on the weekend.

But, the truth is, until Ben Bernanke’s assistant is in a panic and shouting, “Oh my gosh Mr. Chairman, drop everything Andy Carpenter is on the line,” I must invoke Craig Ferguson.

Do you think Ben Bernanke is going to read me in IDE and say, “You know what, Carpenter’s got a point!”

And, even more germane to my general lack of interest in the grand scheme – or my lack of influence upon it – is the fact that I am much more interested in specific situations.

After all, no matter what the media claims, there are millions and millions of Americans who have stable mortgages… and millions more who make money in the stock market.

But, the media doesn’t understand the risk/reward of individual situations; they don’t understand the big picture, either.

But, the big picture is not where the money is. The risk/reward is way too huge to quantify. Now, the micro, baby! That’s where the action is.  The risk shows itself clearly, potential reward, too.

Anything else is just sand in your eyes.

Now – Here’s My Big Offer

Since we’re a bit more relaxed here on the weekend at IDE, I thought this would be a perfect place to find out what you’re thinking.

So, if the spirit moves you, put it down in writing – somewhere between 250 and 350 words or so and we’ll publish your opinion pieces on Saturdays.

And, don’t worry if you’re grammar or spelling shy, I’ll clean that up for you.

Just get some logic down, make a solid argument or point and you’re in as a published author… just like that.

I think the best way to do it would be to get your thoughts down using a word processing program, such as Word or Google Docs, and then copy/paste it into the reply section at the bottom of the email.

And, honestly, it won’t matter if you’re a commie liberal, militiaman conservative, or loony libertarian – though most of us are not at these extremes – if you make an articulate case for your view, we’ll run it.

This is an opened ended offer… so write as the spirit moves you, but don’t forget to sign your work.

This could be fun.  It also could be annoying, but it will be democracy and that’s a good thing.

See you next Saturday – hopefully not filling this space by myself.

Respectfully,

Andy Carpenter

P.S.  To let me know what you thought of today's article, send an e-mail to: feedback@investorsdailyedge.com.

INTERNAL ENDORSEMENT 

Just this Once

BELIEVE THE HYPE!

 It was the email that shocked the investment world.

One noted investment authority told his readers to take seven huge stock market gains on one day… SEVEN HUGE WINNERS on one day that ranged from 526% to 102%... seven, and on stocks… not options.

But that was just the beginning! It now looks to be setting up to happen again this year, too.

That’s why you must check out the whole story right here.

Ethanol Gives Me Gas

By Andy Carpenter

I’ve been kicking an idea around for a while. It’s one that I am now convinced requires action.

If you are holding stocks in a pure-play ethanol company – dump them now, while you still can get something out of them.

Now, we don’t hold any ethanol stocks in the Asia Business & Investing portfolios… but I think this is an urgent situation that requires immediate action on your part.

Also, avoid at all costs any slick come-ons you might receive that beg you to invest in the ethanol miracle.

Ethanol is toast… actually corn flakes.

Of all the great scams the US federal government has perpetrated on its people, when all is said and done, the corn-based alternative fuel will go down near the top as one of the all-time greatest.

Born in bad science, perverted by shady for-profit interests, ethanol is nothing more than a massive billions-of-dollars gift from Uncle Sam to big agriculture.

It takes more energy to create a gallon of ethanol than that same gallon produces.

Mark my words, fast-expanding global food crisis means ethanol’s days as a darling of petro-apologists are just about over.

My bet is that you’ll soon see big agriculture tout some sort of mysterious breakthrough that it will claim allows it to make ethanol more efficiently. That will be a desperate lie.

It will be a dog that won’t hunt, because the mainstream media have begun to figure out the ethanol con job. It’s discovered the sound science that proves that stripping the land in order to grow more corn for biofuels actually adds more carbon to the environment – a lot more.

Look, the agriculture lobby may be the US’s most powerful, but next time you pay $4.49 for a 24 oz. box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and $3.75 for a gallon of gas, ask yourself whose well-being is it lobbying for?

Sometime during the next five years, no matter what then President Al Gore (doesn’t it just have to be) or President John McCain will claim, ethanol’s slimy reality in the US will lead to its collapse.

Subscribers to Andy Carpenter’s Asia Business & Investing newsletter banked stock gains (not options) of 562%, 300%, 383% 197% 149% 123% and 102% on July 7, 2007. They are currently sitting on these staggering gains…  as of April 11, 649%, 319%, 179%, 77%, 196% 100%, 126%, 185% and 430%. That’s just a harbinger of the future. Find out more here.