What are the best long term stock investments?

i want to pick about 5 winners and ride them for the next 10 years.

You know, I would like to do the same thing. But is not possible. If it were, everyone could and would be doing it. To be 100% sure that a stock is a winner, you will need to wait the 10 years to find out. You will be taking some risk with any stock you buy now as it could go up or down in value. It really isn't possible today or any day to say which way it will go for sure. Your objective should be to not pick loosers. But that isn't possible either. But you can minmize your loosers and reduce your loses, by tracking your stock performance and selling your loosers and letting your winners run. By doing this portfolio management, you will increase your gains. The object is to maximize your gain to loss ratio as you buy and sell stocks as their performance dictates. Read up on technical analysis of the stock market and swing trading. Check out the yahoo group
"ComputerProgramPicks". Best of luck to you. Having luck is executing with an prepared mind.

Vanguard funds:

Windsor II
U.S. Growth
Explorer
Total International Stock Index
Precious Metals & Mining

Mutual Fund

We Wont Know For 10 years. Hind sight is 20/20

You can't.

Stocks live and die by quarterly earnings reports. The long term winners outperform for a long time - but still one quarter at a time.