"As the old saying goes, banks are happy to make loans to anyone who can prove they don't need them," observes Alexander Green.

The editor of The Oxford Club explains, "But what do you do if you're a blue-collar worker with a checkered credit history, an uncertain unemployment picture and no high-quality collateral? These folks are turning to pawnbrokers such as EZCorp (EZPW).

"Based in Austin, EZCorp operates more than 1,000 pawnshops and payday loan storefronts in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It also has equity stakes in pawnshops in Britain and Australia.

"Quality is a big reason why Panera Bread (PNRA) has not only survived but prospered during this economic slowdown," says Alexander Green.

The editor of The Oxford Club explains, "I prefer to buy from -- and invest in -- companies that compete primarily on the basis of quality.

"Why? Because quality is remembered long after price is forgotten. In short, Panera is a case study in how to attract customers -- and shareholders -- the right way. Customers tend to patronize those firms with a reputation for meeting or exceeding expectations. Plus, satisfied customers are an excellent source of referrals.

"Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD), one of the world's largest biotechs, is a stock for all seasons," say growth expert Alexander Green.

The investment director for The Oxford Club explains, "It's a fine company with a solid balance sheet, a recession-proof business and excellent growth prospects."

"Gilead focuses on three main areas, including cardiovascular conditions and respiratory diseases. (Many may have taken its anti-influenza drug Tamiflu, Letairis to treat hypertension, or Macugen to treat macular degeneration.)

"Vice stocks have consistently outperformed most other market sectors, especially during recessionary times," says Alexander Green, whose 'Seven Deadly Sins Portfolio' is up 59% in six months.

One strong performer in that portfolio is Smith & Wesson Holding (NASDAQ: SWHC). Here, the investment director of The Oxford Club explains why investors should load up on the gun maker.

"Smith & Wesson has been a partner in law enforcement since the 1800s, developing crime-fighting tools that set the standard for the field.

"Personally, I haven't played a video game since college; but I know the video game market is red hot," says Alex Green; here, the investment director for The Oxford Club takes a look at GameStop (NYSE: GME).

"With more than 5,100 stores throughout the United States and 15 other countries, GameStop is the world's largest video game retailer.

"Its stores include GameStop, EB Games and Electronics Boutique. It also publishes Game Informer, the industry's largest circulation video game magazine with more than 2.2 million paid subscribers.

Two leading growth stock expert, Brandon Clay, editor of Invest with an Edge, and Alexander Green, editor of The Oxford Club, turn to automated blood testing equipment maker Immucor (NASDAQ: BLUD) as a recession-resistant buy.

Clay suggest, "A good bet is to go with the strongest stock in that particular sector at the time of your pickThat way, the company you select at least has the momentum of the sector backing it. Typically the medical industry performs better than the overall market in a downturn. This recession has been no different.

"As we dug deeper into health care, one company surfaced that was worth our attention. Immucor is a blood testing equipment manufacturer specializing in pre-transfusion diagnostics.

"Established in 1982, they brought their first patent to market four years later. Since then they've become a leader in blood diagnostics and blood bank technology.

"Warren Buffett's holding company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B), has been the single greatest investment of our lifetimes," says Alexander Green, noting, "His compounded annual gain from 1966 to 2007 was 21.1% vs. 10.3% or the S&P 500."

In the Oxford Insight, the investment director explains, "It is now time to buy the 'ultimate no-brainer'." Here's his assessment.

"Despite this strong long-term performance, Buffett experienced a rare earnings letdown during the second quarter of this year.

"Although revenue increased 10% to $29.3 billion, insurance related write-downs hurt the company's bottom line. Still, the shortfall was far from cataclysmic. For the quarter, earnings fell 7.6% to $2.88 billion.

"Despite the shortfall, the company still maintains a top-notch credit rating and has over $28 billion in cash, a war chest for the world's greatest investor. How has Buffett been so successful? He takes a disciplined value approach to investing. And he sticks with it.

"The latest annual rate of inflation measured from last July to this July was 5.6%, the largest annual gain since way back in January 1991," observes Alexander Green.

Here, the investment director for the industry-leading The Oxford Club suggests that investors consider the iShares Lehman TIPS Bond Fund (ASE: TIP), noting, "This is a great way to buy a diversified portfolio of inflation-adjusted Treasuries and track them quite easily."

"The latest consumer price index figures were a bit of a shock; the annual rate of inflation measured from last July to this July was 5.6%, the largest annual gain since way back in January 1991.

"Despite these horrendous inflation figures, gold, mining shares and other inflation-sensitive indicators did nothing – or even fell. What gives?

"Remember that the market is always looking forward, not back. Investors are always more concerned with what lies ahead than what happened in the recent past. Next month or next year may be a different story entirely.

"That's why every investor should have a hedge in his portfolio, like inflation-adjusted Treasuries. These bonds are unique in the investment world. They are the only investment guaranteed to beat inflation. And they are great portfolio diversifiers. They don't march in step with either stocks or bonds.

"Diageo (NYSE: DEO) is the world's biggest spirits company with operations in over 180 countries," notes Alexander Green. The contributing editor to The Money Map Report explains, "Diageo is a non-cyclical, recession-proof
stock we can count on to deliver solid results no matter which way the global economy heads."

The advisor explains, "The company's brands are some of the oldest and most successful: Smirnoff vodka, Guinness stout, Bailey's Original Irish Cream, J&B and Johnnie Walker Scotch whiskies, Jose Cuervo tequila, Captain Morgan rum and Tanqueray gin – among others.

"For the first six months of fiscal year 2008, the company beat expectations. Sales rose by 5.7%. Earnings advanced almost twice as fast, hitting $2 billion. And dissecting the results further reveals continued strength in international and emerging markets, with operating profits up 20%.

This post is based on an article written by Alexander Green, Investment Director of The Oxford Club. My thanks to Mr. Green for his straightforward insight.

Let me begin by stating that my only argument against the oil industry has been their "the only game in town" attitude. Never have I complained that oil companies show too much profit. I have never accused the oil industry of gouging or unjust profiteering. With that stated, let us continue:

Oil companies DO NOT set gasoline prices at the pump. Those prices are dictated entirely by supply and demand economics. The single biggest driving force in the economics of crude oil today is the increasing demand by growing industrialized nations, China being the biggest by far. Even the United States Supreme Court declared that they find no evidence that oil companies are manipulating oil prices in any undue manner. This issue will, of course, remain in hot public debate.