A bit of economy humor ........ 
If you had purchased $1,000 of Delta Air Lines stock one year ago, you would have $49 left.  
With Fannie Mae, you would have $2.50 left. 
With AIG, you would have less than $15 left.  
But, if you purchased $1,000 worth of beer a year ago, drank all of the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling refund, you would have $214 cash.  
Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.  
Its called the 401-Keg