FINANCIAL SITUATION OF NYSE

Even though the federal bailout and plummeting Dow have been grabbing most of the financial headlines across the nation, I’m sure you’ve heard enough about gloom and doom. Besides, the world's smartest investors understand the importance of staying "in the know" about trends in the political and business landscape and how they may open up new opportunities.

One such trend that cannot be ignored is the green energy movement. While conventional energy will continue to supply the bulk of our needs for the foreseeable future, the writing on the wall is clear: energy alternatives are the wave of the future and an alternative energy revolution is underway.

As an international consultant who stays on top of global developments, I've seen the potential of the relatively new technologies first hand. When I lived in China twenty years ago, the country barely had semi-reliable conventional energy infrastructure. Today, it boasts a city that is almost entirely run by alternative energy and plans to have renewables account for 10% of energy consumption by 2010, and 20% by 2020. Europe dominates the world in wind-turbine manufacturing and solar-panel use: Germany has half the world's solar-power installations; Spain boasts the world's largest solar farm; and Denmark is home to the leading global wind-turbine provider.

For its part, Congress has finally done something right to help the United States catch up: The Senate recently passed a bill extending alternative energy legislation for eight years and providing more than $17 billion in renewable energy tax incentives.