"Ya'll oughta try some of this here fried chicken; you ain't gonna believe it!" "Xie-Xie!" (pronounced "she-she") That is Chinese for thank you. From the hills of Kentucky, the Colonial Sanders secret recipe has made a splash in China. While it is well known a lot of the stuff you buy at Walmart (WMT) is made in China; what you may not know is that China is crazy for KFC.

You may not think anything of going out for Chinese with your friends and practice eating with chopsticks; when the Chinese go out with their friends to practice eating with a fork; KFC seems to be a popular option.

"Investing in conservative stocks to build or rebuild the core of your portfolio makes sense right now; investors should buy companies that have a long history of steady earnings and dividend growth, through good times and tough times," says J. Royden Ward.

The editor of the specialty newsletter, Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter, explains, "The obvious benefit of adhering to a disciplined system of value investing like ours is that you build long-term profits and, ideally, financial independence.

McDonald's Corporation (MCD) was down roughly 2% as I began composing this piece during the afternoon session. I hope investors weren't paying attention to the bears who were in control of the fast-food giant's shares. To me, the stock seems to be in good shape, and in the kind of trading climate we're in, it could be a useful instrument for the cautious player.

I'm seeing a quote of around $70 go by on my screen. Not bad in the least, considering that the 52-week high is $71.84. It shows the kind of resilience the stock possesses. Indeed, considering how many equities have pulled back from their 52-week highs, you've got to enjoy this element of the story.

Poor Yum! Brands (YUM). The company has some high-profile trademarks in its portfolio, and it competes vigorously with Burger King (BKC), McDonald's (MCD), and Wendy's/Arby's Group (WEN). It's a competent player in its field. Sometimes, though, that just isn't enough. Tuesday, during the after-hours action, the stock was sold off, losing over 3% of its value.

And this was after the owner of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell beat earnings expectations in the second quarter. It's a funny thing, though: You can top estimates all you want, but if your guidance isn't so hot, your stock isn't guaranteed to respond in the positive direction.

Are you one of the millions of Americans out of work and not able find a good job locally? If you have an adventurous spirit and native English accent, you can teach overseas and it is more doable than you may think.

Maybe you hate your current job and need a change before you go crazy? Maybe you are unemployed tired of beating the street around town and always wanted to see the other cultures. There is an entire world of opportunity out there in teaching English in foreign countries. Teaching experience, a college degree, or 1 month TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification are pluses, but none of them are required and depending on the program you may not even need to know much grammar.

With all the mixed signals driving uncertainty and worry lately, the consensus has been a foggy windshield with no clear direction. We can't even tell if one of the largest bear market rallies in history is fizzling or pausing.

On Wall Street, uncertainty is certainly a buzz killer for the irrationally exuberant. If you need a towel to wipe away the fog, take a look at Your Cheat Sheet to the Psychology of Market Cycles.

While contemplating where we're headed, let's take a look at some data points that indicate the US has the potential to lead the world out of this recession ...

Not satisfied to wear the crown among fast-food companies, McDonald's (MCD) continues to strive toward new ways to attract customers into its establishments in the off-peak hours. The company has already launched a salvo at Starbucks (SBUX) with its McCafe concept of lattes and cappuccinos, and now it is moving into the smoothie market. You may remember the company first unveiled the concept at the Winter Olympics, with familiar faces such as Picabo Street endorsing the frozen beverages.

After roughly a year of research and iteration, the smoothies are coming to a McDonald's near you next month, in two flavors -- Strawberry Banana and Wild Berry. Meanwhile, MCD is using some of its Austin and Michigan stores to test "frozen juice blends."

Reportedly, Dow Jones fast-food behemoth McDonald's (MCD) is facing a lawsuit from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The lawsuit surrounds MCD's Happy Meal toys, stating that the toys "lure small children into McDonald's" in a marketing ploy that is "illegal under various state consumer protection laws." Interesting, as I thought it was the responsibility of the parents to make sure that their children eat healthily. I mean, I am a father of three and I make sure that my kids eat healthy food. Do they have the occasional Happy Meal? Yes, but I am the one making the decision.

Sonic Corporation (SONC) is down this afternoon by over 5%. At the time I was checking quotes on the stock, I came up with a price of $8.80. Not too encouraging for shareholders, especially considering that the volume was active.

Shares of the fast-food entity have traded in a narrow range over the last twelve months. The 52-week low is $8.07; the 52-week high is $13.11. The one-year chart shows an all-over-the-place situation; there's no smooth uptrend here. So, we need some fundamental guidance. The third-quarter report was released yesterday after the bell. What do the numbers say?

Starbucks (SBUX) CEO Howard Schultz said Monday that beginning July 1, the coffee king will offer free WiFi in all company-owned stores. This is a change from the current policy, which allows two free hours to customers with a registered SBUX card, or free unrestricted service for AT&T (T) customers.

Not only will the surfing be free, but SBUX-based users will have access to a free version of The Wall Street Journal, content from Zagats, and a free "pick of the week" iTunes download. Not too shabby. Why bother paying for service at home?

This move makes sense, of course, and was a long time coming, as SBUX has to keep up with its competitors. Panera Bread (PNRA) has offered free WiFi for years; so do most McDonald's (MCD).

Nathan's Famous, Inc. (NATH) issued its fourth-quarter report on Friday. Before we get to the results, let's have a quick review of the stock. It's always helpful to see how an equity has been behaving under the current conditions of the market.

Well, Nathan's Famous is one of those stocks that has a yearly range decidedly on the narrow side. The 52-week low is $12; the 52-week high is $16.18. The business settled on Friday at a price of $14.97. If you look at the one-year chart, you might get the feeling that the shares aren't sure whether they should break to the upside or the downside.

If you are looking for an investing value meal, look no further than McDonald's (MCD).

McDonald's is tapping into the billions and billions of burgers that it is still able to sell -- even during difficult economic times -- to serve up a bullish bounce on its stock price.

The Golden Arches is currently bouncing off two key support levels that have come together at $66, providing an excellent buying opportunity.

Today was a quiet economic day yet stocks managed to find some footing despite two miserable selling sessions in the last two trading days. Gold hit a record close as investors continue to look for safe havens, and that is also keeping a lid on bond yields in Treasuries.

Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 9,939.23 +122.74 (1.25%)
S&P 500 1,062.02 +11.55 (1.10%)
Nasdaq 2,170.57 -3.33 (-0.15%)

Top Analyst Calls

Analyst Upgrades

• Weeden upgraded Nabors Industries (NBR) to buy from hold on expectations that U.S. land drillers will likely benefit from a more restrictive deepwater Gulf of Mexico drilling environment.
• Macquarie upgraded Cinemark (CNK) to outperform from neutral and has a $20 price target on the stock. The firm cites valuation, market share stabilization and Latin American pricing power.
• RBC Capital upgraded Edison International (EIX) to outperform from sector perform with a $43 target. The firm cited valuation and its belief that the company's unregulated businesses are well-positioned to accelerate as reasons for the upgrade.
• Canadian Pacific (CP) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.
• FirstEnergy (FE) was upgraded to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Joy Global (JOYG) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Longbow.

Reportedly, McDonald's (MCD) is recalling 12 million of its collectible Shrek glasses thanks to cadmium. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the voluntary recall early this morning because the painted design contains cadmium.

What a deal, cadmium poisoning and a collector's glass all for a mere $2 ... those marketing geniuses at McDonald's ... what will they think of next?