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The media is full of heartbreaking stories about foreclosures and families getting thrown out on the street. As an undercurrent to that, the "Dare To Be Great" schemes promise to show you how to profit from the foreclosure trend. Clark has been buying foreclosures since 1978, along with "people problem" houses. Yesterday he closed on another one. As he walked through the property, it really struck him that this house was someone else's hope and dream; it was new construction that was lived in for just 6 months.

Clark bought this foreclosure much like he did the other 4 he's picked up over the years. He never buys on the courthouse steps, but rather only goes after REOs (real-estate owned properties). Basically, he waits until the lender takes the property back and then buys from their inventory. His rule of thumb for single-family homes is to always buy 20 percent below fair market value. When it comes to condos, the number bumps up to 30 percent below fair market value. Remember that you'll have to pay for multiple repairs to the distressed property. So all this "Dare To Be Great" stuff about buying for mere pennies on the dollar is malarkey.

Clark also wants to address some recent critiques about him being, as one man put it, too happy about dancing on people's graves. He has nothing to do with the fact that the previous owners couldn't pay their mortgage. It was the bank who put them out on the street. At that point, it's like buying any other investment. Remember the best money is made when everyone else is afraid. Zig when others zag. The best deals over the next 1-3 years will be in second-home communities including resorts, beach communities and mountain communities. When there's not enough money for all the bills, a second home is way down on the list of priorities behind a primary residence.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Clark has already bought and given 2 dozen roses to his wife. He picked them up at a warehouse club for $14.99. He also has another gift in the works for the day itself that's not price-sensitive. Holidays are mostly market-driven these days; you shouldn't feel like you have to spend a fortune on jewelry or flowers. Many times the woman you love would be more interested in you thinking up something romantic than blowing a wad of cash. For example, women are often excited to have a stranger deliver flowers at work. So why not go to a supermarket on Valentine's Day, pick up some roses and deliver them yourself to your sweetie's workplace? You'll save big and score a lot of brownie points in the process!

Around this time of year, local dating services that use commissioned salespeople are being heavily advertised. The Better Business Bureau reports there's been a 73 percent increase in complaints about these businesses during the last 12 months. The complaints include lies about the pool of dating candidates available; high pressure sales tactics; and bad customer service. In Clark's TV work, they once sent in hidden cameras to expose what potential clients face at dating services. One very tough woman who went in undercover came out in tears because of the ordeal.

CLARKONOMICS: This has been the year of the underdog -- just look at the Super Bowl. The heavily favored New England Patriots lost to the very inspired New York Giants. The Giants may not have had the talent, but they did have the heart. Clark predicted the Patriots would take the game 38-17. But that was not the case. Similarly, look at Super Tuesday and all the political handicapping that's led to it. Who could have predicted we'd be where we are now with McCain coming from nowhere to the front of the GOP pack and Obama becoming a coalescing force for the Dems? Both McCain and Obama campaigned as outsiders and claim to speak with the voice of change.

The American people have fatigued on the War on Terror, so the economy is front and center in this campaign. People are voting with their wallets. ABC News reports that nearly 9 in 10 people believe the economy is poor or fair. Some 60 percent believe we're already in a recession. People are feeling pinched in their lives. You've got 4 in 10 saying the economy and the fear of losing their jobs are their No. 1 issues. That's why people want change. Clark would love to see a poll that reveals how many people have positive feelings about McCain and Obama. While their politics are complete opposites, Clark's hunch is that many people across the land like both of them. That speaks again to the discomfort people are feeling.

One final thought: A president can not wave a magic wand and fix what ails the economy. We give presidents too much credit and too much blame for what goes on in our daily economic lives. Don't expect that the economy will do what you want it to do if your favorite candidate gets into the White House. The only person who has real power over your wallet and your job is you. You may need to go back to school to get more job skills, even if you're a mid-career adult. Or perhaps you need to become an entrepreneur. Clark's ultimate message is don't rely on Washington to fix what ails your wallet. You need to fix it.

The Hollywood writer's strike has inadvertently changed the way people watch TV. People in their 20s and 30s have turned to watching the equivalent of TV on their computers. The growth of sites like YouTube and JibJab has definitely helped out. Nielsen Media Research reports that almost 50 percent of viewers 34 or younger now watch full-length TV shows on a computer.

TiVo allowed you to watch TV on your schedule; the next generation of developments will allow you to watch what you want, where you want across platform. Imagine being a cable company and seeing your vice grip on the market blown apart by tech innovations. Now ESPN is making its programming available to military personnel and educators/students anywhere in the world for free on their computers. That's going to be a major blow to the cable and satellite companies who rely on business from customers signing up to get ESPN. It's now also very easy to take your computer and run a cable to your TV, allowing you to watch Internet content on the boob tube. The next thing coming down the pike will be watching Internet content on your TV in hi-def. One day Clark's 2-year-old son will marvel at the fact that TV used to be something you watched on a schedule decided by the cable or satellite company.