Gold may be a good investment if:

Inflation is expected to increase.
You like the color.
World peace comes to pass.
Foreign governments sell their gold reserves.

Stocks whose returns are tied closely to the overall national economy are typically called:

Blue Chip stocks.
Defensive stocks.
Speculative stocks.
Cyclical stocks.

Junk bonds:

Are bonds issued by junk yards.
Are sometimes called "high yield bonds."
Are less risky than government bonds.
Are not actually bonds.

The financial pyramid implies that:

An investment near the top of the pyramid has a higher potential return, but also carries higher risk.
Egyptian pharoahs were astute investors.
Eating nutritious meals from the "food pyramid" will make you a better investor.
"Pyramid" or "Ponzi" schemes are good investments.

A stock certificate:

Is always issued to the individual investor.
Represents a primary claim on the firm’s assets.
Represents ownership in a corporation.
Is handwritten.

A prudent investor:

Does not have to consider the tax effect of long-term gains.
Evaluates his/her investments on an after-tax basis.
Studiously avoids income-shifting among funds.
Knows that a drop in the dividend payout signals a stronger firm.

For tax purposes, a capital gain is considered long term if the investment was held more than:

1 day.
1 month.
1 year.
10 years.

Variable life insurance:

Offers tax deferral.
May provide higher return potential and greater risk than a whole life policy.
Allows you to invest a portion of the premium in various subaccounts.
All of the above.