Smelling like Britney Spears appeals to some. As Curious as it may seem, it’s not a Fantasy. Celebrity perfumes and celebrity-endorsed perfumes now claim 23% of the top fragrances in the market. With signature scents from JLo and Paris Hilton, Danielle Steel and Elizabeth Taylor (who started it all), there is no lack of famous fragrance.

But some experts are already warning that the market for celebrity scents is nearing its saturation point as more and more celebrities lend their names to perfumes. Celebrity fragrances can bring in profits from sales to younger consumers but the lifespans of new perfumes are shortening. One assumes they would wane even faster than the popularity of the celebrity involved.

Hopefully, this means that someday, no one will have to endure the stench of Paris as she sizzles.

When the market opened this morning to news of terrorist attack plots, stocks slipped in the jittery atmosphere of uncertainty. But they rallied and fought back as oil prices began to tumble.

Analysts did not agree on the reason for the $2.35 per barrel decline. Some opined that it was as a result of the terrorist plot and the possibility of reduced airline flights while others felt that other factors such as the slowing economy played the major roles in the plummeting oil prices.

While Fidel Castro underwent surgery for abdominal bleeding, Cuban-Americans celebrated. With his current hold on power in question and the eventual end of his long term rule of Cuba(47 years currently) ensured by biology, the world ponders and plans for a post-Castro Cuba.

Although there is an embargo on trade between the US and Cuba, some US businesses are starting to contemplate what markets may open up in the Cuba of the future. The possibility of normalizing trade relations has investors speculating.

Fidel Castro has temporarily set his brother Raul in his stead. If Raul succeeds his brother, there will still be a Castro government in Cuba and it would remain illegal and therefore impossible to trade with Cuba. Additionally, any future government, with or without a Castro, would probably not meet the rest of the conditions necessary for the US trade embargo to be lifted.

Still, the only thing certain about the future is that things will change. And so, the American Cuban community continues to dream.

A Roth IRA, named for the late Senator William V. Roth Jr., came about as a result of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.

A Roth IRA differs from traditional IRAs in that your contributions are after-tax rather than tax-deferred. You get no tax deduction for contributions to a Roth IRA now, but there are many advantages to a Roth IRA.

If you meet certain requirements, all earnings are tax-free when you withdraw them. Under certain circumstances you can make early withdrawals without penalty. In addition, there is no requirement that you start taking minimum withdrawals after age 70½. The money in your Roth IRA can continue to grow and all earnings will still be tax free when you or your beneficiary start withdrawing them.

Because you don’t get tax deductions for your contributions, they do not lower your taxable income for the year in which you make the contribution. However, traditional IRA funds are taxed at the time you withdraw them. If tax rates were to drop in the years until you retire, then a traditional IRA might be more profitable in the long run. But tax rates usually increase and it seems unlikely that the government would not raise taxes in the future to deal with the costs associated with the retirement of the large population of baby boomers.

The maximum contribution for a Roth IRA for 2006 and married, filing jointly, is $4,000 if your total adjusted gross income is less than $150,000. If your total adjusted gross income exceeds $160,000 you are not eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA. If you file head of household or married filing separately, you can contribute $4,000 if your AGI is under $95,000. In either case, you can contribute more, up to %5,000 for the year 2006 if you are age 50 or older.

Whether a Roth IRA is right for you depends on your individual financial picture. If you are considering a Roth IRA, consult your fnancial advisor.