Mississippi Valley Sells

Remember the Army slogan, “I Want YOU for the U.S. Army!”? The poster showed a very stern Uncle Sam jabbing his finger nearly out of the picture. What about the one by Smokey the Bear? “Even YOU can prevent forest fires!” Well, let’s add another one, shall we? “It’s important for YOU to consider Public School Rankings !” when considering a move to a new city or state.

Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers – This is not some new teaching technique, but points to something unique. Public School Rankings can show you which schools have something different to offer, and how well they do so compared to other similar programs. While you should never choose a school for your child based solely on the fact that it is unique and out-of-the-box, schools that rank high in Public School Rankings and that have unique, diverse programs in place indicate that they are concentrating on ensuring the best possible education they can give.

Looking at Public School Rankings will also give you valuable information on how well these schools are performing in core academics. Test scores are a big part of Public School Rankings, and high scores will definitely show which schools have students who are earning high marks. A unique program at an excellent school situated near the top of a Public School Rankings may be just what you are looking for, so don’t forget to consider where the school in question falls in Public School Rankings .

Open Doors – Preparing yourself with information gathered by studying Public School Rankings of schools in the area you are considering will help out when you tour schools and visit classrooms. Principals and teaches will appreciate your knowledge about how their school has performed in Public School Rankings , but be sure not to come off as a know-it-all about the school you are visiting. Coming to the school informed with the school’s placement in Public School Rankings will show that you are interested in the school you are considering, and that you will make sure to be a partner with educators in the schooling of your child.

Updated Information – Researching the Public School Rankings in the city or state you are thinking of moving to is simply logical. While it’s good to talk to other parents in the area you are heading for, keep in mind that they can only speak from their own experiences. I once had a teacher tell me not to place my daughter in our school’s gifted program because her brother hated it; and she was a grandmother! Her experience and information was outdated, to say the least. Word of mouth is indeed a valuable tool to determine which schools are good, but don’t discount the information you’ll get from Public School Rankings. These rankings are an unbiased report on how a school is performing.

And don’t forget, only YOU can choose the school (based in part on Public School Rankings ) that is best for your child!

Featuring top performing Health equity mutual funds, which primarily invest in equity securities of healthcare and interrelated companies because this sector continues to show promise despite concerns about the impact of the new health care legislation. Even though, policy changes continue to be a important indicator to investing in the sector, those companies that have diversified into foreign markets, whose business models are based on information technology platforms or those that offer a wide range of products, continue to show promise.

Investors can find such health funds by checking out the entire list of the Zacks #1 Rank Health Equity Funds.

5 Health Fund picks

Franklin Biotechnology Discovery A (FBDIX) seeks long term capital growth. It was created in September 1997.

A large share of the assets of this health fund, at least 80%, are invested in equity securities of biotechnology companies and discovery research firms worldwide, including those concentrating on therapeutics, drug delivery, gene therapy. The health fund also invests in smaller capitalization companies, those with a market capitalization of less than $1.5 billion. It also places a smaller part of its kitty in private or illiquid securities, such as late stage venture capital financings.

This health equity fund has an expense ratio of 1.32% against a category average of 1.91%. As of July 2009, it has a portfolio turnover of 45% against a category average of 135%. The funds top holdings include Amgen Inc, Gilead Sciences Inc and Celgene Corp. For the six-month period ended 30 September 2009, the health Fund’s performance was lower than its benchmark index, NASDAQ Biotech Price Index. However, the fund has exceeded its benchmark index for the 1-year period ended 31 March 2009.

Evan S. McCulloch has been lead manager of the health fund since September 1997. McCulloch is a designated Chartered Financial Analyst and has been with Franklin since 1992.

Eaton Vance Worldwide Health Sciences A (ETHSX) seeks capital appreciation by investing in a global and diversified portfolio of health sciences companies. It was incepted in July 1985.

This health fund invests in a worldwide health sciences portfolio. It invests in companies of all sizes, including those with lower market capitalizations. This health fund focuses on firms engaged in the development, production or distribution of products developed through healthcare research.

The fund has an expense ratio of 2.11% against a category average of 1.91%. As of September 2009, it has a portfolio turnover of 54% against a category average of 135%. The health funds top holdings include Johnson & Johnson, Roche Holding AG and Genzyme Corp. For the year ending August 31, 2009, the Fund had negative performance, primarily because of extreme pessimism in the broader stock market during the first half of the year. Nevertheless, the health Fund outperformed the S&P 500 Index, the MSCI World Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Life Sciences Index (the MSCI World Pharma Index) and its Lipper peer group.

Samuel D. Isaly has been lead manager of this health fund since July 1985. Prior to his current assignment, Isaly was a president and partner with Mehta and Isaly Asset Management.

Fidelity Select Pharmaceuticals (FPHAX) was incepted in June 2001. This health fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

A majority of this health fund’s assets, at least 80%, are invested in companies engaged in healthcare research and development as well as those involved in the production and distribution of drugs. The health fund invest in both foreign and domestic issuers and it is non-versified.

The health fund has an expense ratio of 1% against a category average of 1.91%. As of August 2009, it has a portfolio turnover of 240% against a category average of 135%. The funds top holdings include Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer Inc and Merck & Co. As of October 2009, the investment performance of the health fund compares favorably to its benchmark for the three- and five-year periods, although the fund’s one-year cumulative total return was lower than its benchmark.

Andrew Oh has been lead manager of the health fund since July 2006. Before his current assignment, Oh was director and senior pharmaceuticals analyst for Leernik Swann & Company.

BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities A (SHSAX) seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. It was incepted in December 1999.

This health fund invests mainly in healthcare stocks of the Russell 3000 Index or in similar companies which includes foreign issuers. The fund invests in a wide range of companies, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices and healthcare services companies. It may invest in different types of instruments, common and preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants and depository receipts. The health fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in companies outside the health sector.

The health fund has an expense ratio of 1.43% against a category average of 1.91%. As of June 2009, it has a portfolio turnover of 144% against a category average of 135%. The funds top holdings include Alcon Inc, Pfizer Inc and Novartis AG. For the third quarter of 2009, the health fund outperformed its Lipper Health/Biotechnology Funds category average and its performance benchmark, the Russell 3000Health Care Index, but underperformed the broad-market S&P 500 Index. .

Thomas P. Callan has been lead manager of the fund since January 2005. Callan is a Chartered Financial Analyst and heads BlackRock’s Global Opportunities equity team.

Manning & Napier Life Sciences (EXLSX) seeks long-term growth. It was incepted in June 2001.

This health fund invests heavily in companies in the healthcare industry. It invests in domestic and foreign issuers, including American Depository Receipts (ADRs) and other U.S. dollar denominated securities of foreign issuers. The health fund is non-diversified.

The health fund has an expense ratio of 1.13% against a category average of 1.91%. As of September 2009, it has a portfolio turnover of 98% against a category average of 135%. The funds top holdings include Covidien Public Ltd, Inverness Medical Innovations and Eclipsys Corp.

Jeffrey S. Coons has been lead manager of this health fund since November 1999. Coons is a Chartered Financial Analyst and joined Manning & Napier Advisors in 1993.

Discover Many More Funds

Learn more about the new Zacks Mutual Fund Rank and discover some of the best market-beating mutual funds by browsing our mutual funds section. This part of Zacks.com offers a variety of tools, including mutual fund research, a new mutual fund screener, helpful answers to frequently asked questions and quick access to prospectuses and other information.

By applying the Zacks Rank to mutual funds, investors can find funds that not only outpaced the market in the past but are also expected to outperform going forward.

Lemon laws are made by United States state laws to help car consumers whose cars repeatedly fail to meet certain standards of quality and performance. The position of such cars is called lemons. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act or federal lemon law protects every one of all states and they vary by state. Lemon law may not cover used or leased cars. The Lemon law rights managed to consumers may go beyond the warranties expressed in purchase contracts. Lemon law is just a common nickname for these laws buy every state have their own different names for such laws and acts.

In Texas, anything mechanical is covered by lemon laws as well as the federal lemon laws. The federal lemon law provides that the warranter may be obligated to pay attorney fees if he is involved in a lemon law suit.

Used car purchases:

If anyone purchased a used car then there are two situations where he is qualified for cash or other lemon law benefits:

Situation #1: One may be entitled to compensation for breach of warranty if he had one of the following Warranties:

a) Any warranty left from the manufacturer when you purchased your vehicle (for example, almost all vehicles sold with less than 36,000 miles will have this. But if the warranty is longer, you may have even more time).

b) The vehicle was “Certified” by the Manufacturer (in which case it came with a short Manufacturer’s Warranty, typically 1 year).

c) He purchased an Extended Warranty backed by the Manufacturer (typically 5 years or longer).

Normally, these types of cases fall outside the scope of the state lemon law but are covered under special federal lemon laws.

Situation #2: When No Manufacturer’s Warranty Exists. If he does not have a manufacturer’s warranty of any kind he may be entitled to compensation for violations of consumer protection laws that fall outside of the lemon laws. The following is a list of some of the problems and/or issues which may be present in your vehicle. Your vehicle may be/have a:

Laundered Lemon;

Previously salvaged or wrecked;

Fraudulently rolled back odometer;

Rental car, police car, taxi, etc.;

Stolen, stripped and rebuilt; and/or

Involved in a flood.

Since Lemon Laws vary from state to state so accurate information on the scope and restrictions of Lemon Laws in a particular state can be obtained from an attorney practicing in that state.

“As is” purchases:

If a person knowingly purchase a car in “as is” condition then he accepts the defects and void his rights under the lemon law.

Other lemon laws:

Lemon laws are not limited to cars. There are RV lemon laws, boat lemon laws, motorcycle, wheelchair and computer lemon laws.

If you have a defective Motorcycle, Motor Home, used car, leased car, or a car used for business purposes and your State Lemon Law does not cover these vehicles, you still have other recourses such as the Uniform Commercial Code and the Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (providing you were given a written warranty).