Forbes, November 12, 2012

Welcome to Forbes for November 12, 2012 from Audible. This edition contains seven feature articles.

In the cover story, “Forbes Picks 5 All-Star Charities, with Top Rankings for Efficient Groups” – Who deserves your charitable dollars? To help you decide, we’ve picked five all-stars–charities that are reasonably efficient (compared to their peers) and do fine work in their areas.

Also, “Hollywood's Secret Weapon to Combat Piracy in China” – Not long ago China was mostly a source of frustration for Hollywood. Now, thanks to Dan Mintz and DMG, the Dynamic Marketing Group, there's a new sheriff in town.

Next, “Newly-Minted Billionaire Is Spinning eBay Scraps Into Gold” – Michael Rubin has an uncanny eye for undervalued assets. Using his lifelong talent, the 40 year-old has turned himself into a billionaire.

We'll also tell you “Why Spinoff Stocks Are Sizzling (And Should Stay Hot)” – For investors looking for alternatives to initial public offerings, which are nearly impossible to get, unpredictable and often disappointing, corporate spinoffs offer a smart and profitable opportunity.

Then, “How Robots are Making Solar Power Cheaper” – Startups like QBotix exploit advances in sensor technology and automation to dramatically cut solar power plant costs.

Followed by, “After a Decade of Debacles, Auto Parts Supplier Dana Is Back in Gear” – Written off for dead after going bankrupt in 2006, and then racking up another $1.1 billion in losses after emerging into the teeth of the recession in 2008, Dana is, impossibly, back and on a roll.

And in our final story, “Liquid Assets: Is Scotch the New Wine?” = Macallan has a plan to elevate "investment grade scotch," to the same lofty plane as high-end art and wine. So far, it's working.

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