3SOF

08/31/06
Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night. – Dave Barry


Hey! Here are all the big movers and gainers for the day.  Good night.
http://biz.yahoo.com/cbsm/060830/eacd7f4c395a47a287ee511fd1e98cb7.html

Oh! Not good enough for you?  Well, the market was up a bit on reports that we have plenty of oil supplies (at least until the next Mid-East flair up, hurricane in the Gulf or broken pipeline).

My two castoffs from yesterday, DK and OCN were up a bit, but not yet back in the uptrend.  It was reported that business in Israel is improving.

There was a great article in today's IBD on outsourcing company, PSPT.  They are making acquisitions and growing rapidly.  The chart looks great!  And it is up on strong volume!  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=PSPT&t=1y   - I own it.

Electronics Company, NUHC got a big order from Lockheed and jumped 8% today!
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060830/20060830005483.html?.v=1  I own it.

After yesterday's big article in IBD, HMSY got another good article by The Fool and jumped again.  The chart is amazing – and the business, doing audits for Medicare and other govt. agencies is booming.  This is my largest holding.
http://biz.yahoo.com/fool/060830/115696237517.html?.v=1

Recent IPO HWCC, which I said to watch yesterday, I watched go down.  They are a supplier of cable and wires.  I will continue watching them.

Optical subsystem provider (whatever that is), FNSR continues to recover.  It was up 5% on nice volume.  Now is time to look back at the stocks we cast off during the deluge that happened the first week of June.  We will be more aggressive when it comes to taking profits, but I suspect the money will start flowing back into the stocks starting next week and as oil prices continue coming down.  Suits will be coming back from the Hamptons, see all these stocks on sale, realize they have hardly any and go on a buying spree like a kid in a candy store.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=FNSR

Thank you, you've been great!  You are the best reader so far this year.  Snowy

08/31/06
People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them. – Dave Barry

The Market was unmoved today.  But I did notice that since they have been giving hurricanes Spanish names, they have had no trouble getting into the country. (Jay Leno)

DK was up almost 5% today on good volume.  Though the price of gas is falling, it looks like it is getting back in the groove!

Some highly shorted stocks to watch – PWEI, GES MFLX AND VOL
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=pwei+ges+mflx+vol

NVEC up on average volume 5%.  I think this will pick up steam next week.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NVEC

ISIG up 8% on 3x adv.  Maybe that is getting back on track.  I believe many good stocks that have been down will emerge as fan favorites, like ISIG this Sept.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=ISIG

Alternative energy company, RTK was up almost 5% as this company is bound to be in the spotlight with the coal to liquid fuel bill being passed around.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=rtk

And SBUX reported decent sales, which should hopefully get this stock going.

I am happy because I am taking a long weekend.  I will be off tomorrow and Tuesday.  I will be seeing a pre-season NY Jets football game tomorrow (field seats), so that should be fun (if it does not rain), and spending the rest of the time with the family.  I will come back well rested and ready to rock.  If anyone has anything to comment on tomorrow, the floor is yours.  Giant Snowballs-man!

09/06/06
If people don't want to come to the ballpark, how are you going to stop them? – Yogi Berra, baseball player   

Productivity decreased and wages increased, not a rational combination.  Fears of inflation loom and the markets dropped.  The big oil find in the Gulf of Mexico (which should no impact our reserves for years) further gave reason for oil and energy stocks to fall.

Plastic pipe manufacturer, PWEI, got a good article in IBD today, but fell with much of the rest of the market.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ibd/060905/newamer.html

NVEC which shot up 5 on Tuesday, hit 38 today b4 falling back.  Here are the retracement numbers if you are interested:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NVEC

34.90         23% pullback

32.88%        38%

31.46 is the 50% pullback.

30.04         61%

28.02         76%

MED got killed over the weekend as Barron's said the stock was worth less than 9.  I sold my few shares as soon as I saw the news as that was a self-fulfilling prophecy.  FNSR also took a huge dive today and caused my profits in that one to vanish.  And the lower oil prices have taken their toll on BQI, DK and ALY. 

Lots of up to the minute information can be gotten from Yahoo In Play:
http://finance.yahoo.com/mp#ifo

One stock that had an incredible run the past few days is SYX.  They are a marketer of desktop computers that had a huge profit surge this past quarter.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060830/systemax_mover.html?.v=1

I was looking for more positive economic news to continue yesterday's rally.  There is a lot of fear and unresolved anger around as the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks approaches.  This might put a damper on investing, and maybe rightly so.  The terrorist attacks showed us how vulnerable the world is, and many people are still smarting from the hits their investment portfolios took at that time.

Stay safe and strong.  Snowy

09/07/06
Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life. – Herbert Henry Asquith

The stock markets were lower as homebuilders said that inventories were growing.  Houses will sell, but not at the prices they were a year ago – that makes for growing inventories as sellers have trouble lowering their prices.

Someone I know just bought a house listed in Florida at $267,000, for $190,000.  This is not a sellers market (especially during Florida's stormy season).

So if you are making less money on the sale of your home, you have less money to gamble.....er....invest in the market.  I just saw the movie, "Two for the Money", with Al Pacino on HBO.  It is about a gambling advisory service.  You will see a lot of similarities to the internet stock advisory services and it is scary (not the movie, the fact that folks will place big bets based on someone's opinion of a football game/stock)
http://www.twoforthemoney.net/

Speaking of gambling, online Mah Jongg Company, GIGM broke out of a funk with a 15% gain on 5x adv!  "Patience is important" is an old Mah Jongg saying. (I also like "remove fortune b4 you eat cookie").

The portfolio stunk pretty badly today with several stocks teetering on their support lines.  Good stocks like NUHC are showing signs of weakness while favorites like AAPL surged ahead to good gains.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=NUHC&t=1y
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=AAPL&t=5d

Nano Company, NVEC dropped back to 30 ish on Wednesday and broke loose again today to hit $38!!!!!!! On about 12x adv!!!!!  When I saw it bouncing back this morning, I dove back in.  The pattern is similar to its performance in January, 2004 when it hit 60!!
If I had an advisory service, I would tell you to buy a few shares and ride the wave.  It is volatile, but it is getting a lot of attention!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=NVEC&t=5y

And computer seller, SYX, had another good day, up another 4% on 4x adv.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=SYX

Cool cat likes these guys, CNST looks interesting:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=bits+fuel+clec+usey+cnst

I hear so many complaints about the invasive security in the airports, but if you don't like it, don't fly.  Hey, it's a free country, you can drive, swim, buy your own plane, and there is no rule that you have to fly to get where you want to go.

Be careful out there, Christmas Snowcat.

09/08/06
"I won't be wronged.  I won't be insulted.  I won't be laid a hand on.  I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them". – John Wayne as J.B. Books in "The Shootist"

The markets stood a little taller today as oil prices dipped again and investors shrugged off more bad news on large housing inventories.

Cool cat pick, GROW, grew its numbers substantially and shot up 10% on good volume.  The company manages mutual funds.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=GROW

ISIG inched up 5% and is showing higher lows on its chart.  This is also a Cool cat pick along with beverage company, LBIX.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=ISIG&t=1y

Clothing store, JOSB, had good sales numbers and showed some signs of life the past two days.  This stock has been beaten to rags.  Now that every department store is selling suits, I am surprised that they are coming back.  In the old days, I remember going into a suit store, they would give me a 42 jacket for my massive shoulders – then give me the matching size 36 pants.  The problem was, that I had a 30" waist and they had to alter the pants to the point that the rear pockets were on top of each other!  If I tried to mix and match the correct jacket and pants, they would take me to the dressing room and beat me with hangers.  When I discovered department store "separates" – where you pick out the pants and jacket size you want, it made my life complete!   I never went into a suit store again.  So there!  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=JOSB&t=1y

Alternative Energy Company, AENS.ob mentioned in Mike Schaeffer's Energy Report was up almost 20% on 3x adv.  He thinks it is great.  It has been falling for the past few weeks and is a new issue.  Do your DD, or check out his site.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=AENS.OB

Medical companies ABAX and BLUD are looking interesting as investors are moving their money out of energy stocks.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=abax+blud

That's all.  There will be lots of memorials this weekend for the victims and heroes who died in the 9-11 terrorist attacks.  On that note, here is one more quote from John Wayne to the bad guys that will take care of any situation:

"And now you understand.  Anything goes wrong, anything at all...your fault, my fault, nobody's fault...it won't matter – I'm gonna blow your head off.  No matter what else happens, no matter who gets killed, I'm gonna blow your head off" – John Wayne as Big Jake Mc Candles in "Big Jake".

Now I feel better.  Stay safe.  Snowcat

09/11/06
The best way to escape from a problem is to solve it. – Welsh proverb

Today, 9/11 makes me think of how fragile life is and how it is important to enjoy it now.

Oil dropped again, but had only a mild impact on the markets.  Stocks were barely up.
Two oil related stocks had monster days – both involved in the oil pipeline business.
MFRI had big numbers this past quarter (while prices of oil were high) and NSS had a buyout offer!  You never know!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=nss+mfri

Wheel maker, HAYZ, rolled off big numbers and fitness product maker ANGN showed some muscle with a big profit for the first time and a 109% gain!!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=hayz+angn

Electronics maker, NUHC, fell again, down a dollar and HMSY looks like it is moving back to 15.  Online gaming company GIGM is back in forward motion with another good gain.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=gigm

The market is picking and choosing today.  There is a lot of money being pulled out of energy stocks, and other commodity related stocks too.  It has to go someplace – hopefully not under the mattress.  Stay safe out there - Snowy

========================================================

  A married couple went to the hospital to have their
baby delivered. Upon their arrival, the doctor said he
had invented a new machine that would transfer a
portion of the mother's labor pain to the baby's
father. He asked if they were willing to try it out.
They were both very much in favor of it. The doctor
set the pain transfer to 10% for starters,explaining
that even 10% was probably more pain than the father
had ever experienced before. However, as the labor
progressed, the husband felt fine and asked the doctor
to go ahead and kick it up a notch. The doctor then
adjusted the machine to 20% pain transfer. The
husband was still feeling fine. The doctor checked the
husband's blood pressure and was amazed at how well he
was doing. At this point, they decided to try for
50%.The husband continued to feel quite well. Since
the pain transfer was obviously helping out the wife
onsiderably, the husband encouraged the doctor to
transfer ALL the pain to him. The wife delivered a
healthy baby with virtually no pain. She and her
husband were ecstatic.

When they got home, the mailman
was dead on the porch.

09/12/06
It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish. – JRR Tolkien

Oh my goodness!  U.S. Trade deficit reaches an all time high, the chair of HP steps down due to scandal, Goldman is up and oil is down.  I guess that equals a big gain for the markets.  I might as well be reading tea leaves.

Nano-Tech Company, NVEC, seems to have had a downgrade which caused a 9% drop in price today.  But this stock has major swings every week and they are not exactly a blue chip company to begin with.  This stock is for investors who can dream about technological breakthroughs – the same way people once looked at GOOG, MSFT, DRIV etc......
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NVEC

Men's clothing store, JOSB, was up another dollar.  Maybe men like to go into stores where they are not distracted by other merchandise.  Maybe they have Monday Night Football games playing all day and a free beer stand.  Maybe they have pretty women who complement you on the clothes you pick out and encourage men to buy more.  It is a great concept.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=JOSB&t=1y

Outsourcing Service Company, PSPT, which looks like one of the best, is up 8% on good volume.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=PSPT

Computer vendor, SYX hit a new high after a great week.  It is in a competitive business but has had great results last quarter.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=SYX&t=3m&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=

High yield lender, NFI jumped $2 after a short drought.  The lender got hurt with other mortgage lenders, but just acquired a new mortgage company that should add to the bottom line.  The stock has a yield of 19%!!!!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NFI

Purple Hayz - Wheel maker up 21% - Yahoo has a target of 15!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=hayz

Starbucks was up about a dollar today.  I own the Oct $32.50 calls bought at 30ish.
With all the money I'm saving on gas, I might as well treat myself to a Latte!
(Why is it called a Latte?  Because it costs a Latte!)
Enjoy - Snowy

09/13/06
Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker.  Failure is delay, not defeat.  It is a temporary detour, not a dead end.  Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. – Denis Waitley, motivational speaker.

Stocks were higher as oil bounced back after 7 days of losses, so many of those energy stocks perked up a bit.

NVEC had a downgrade, fell, and bounced back into the green.  I am sticking with my shares.  I still think this can do 40 on a good day.  It has a lot going for it – nano, technology, and thousands of investors who think this can be the next big breakthrough.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=nvec

Pipe and filtration company, MFRI, has been building volume slowly.  It has been gaining ground, but with the relatively low amount of shares out there, it could be volatile.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=mfri

Surging forward on good volume were JOSB, NFI GIGM GROW and ANGN
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=josb+nfi+gigm+grow+angn
GIGM was featured in today's IBD, stocks in the news.

SBUX inched ahead adding price to the Oct call options.  Call options are also available on JOSB, NFI is yielding about 19% and GIGM seems to have an up day followed by a down day recently.

Some nice charts I have been watching are SIMG, a maker of transmitters for the next generation of DVD players and HDTV,  DEIX, a car audio/security company with rising EPS.  And Tech co, PRFT, these 3 look headed for the IBD 100 with a little luck.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=DEIX+PRFT+SIMG

Another good quality stock to watch is CWTR – also featured in IBD today.  They are bouncing back from the summer slump and forming a cup with a handle.  They sell women's casual clothing and their numbers are solid!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CWTR&t=1y

Two solid days in a row does not a rally make, but there is always a place in your portfolio for strong stocks in a good chart.

Do something nice for someone today.  Oprah loves you.  Snowy

Women are evil:

A woman and a man are involved in a car accident on a snowy, cold Monday morning; it's a bad one.

Both of their cars are totally demolished but amazingly neither of them are hurt. God works in Mysterious ways.

After they crawl out of their cars, the woman says, "So you're a man.
That's interesting. I'm a woman. Wow, just look at our cars!

There's nothing left, but we're unhurt.

This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace for the rest of our days".

Flattered, the man replies, "Oh yes, I agree with you completely, this must be a sign from God!"

The woman continues, "And look at this, here's another miracle.

My car is completely demolished but this bottle of wine didn't break.

Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune."

Then she hands the bottle to the man.

The man nods his head in agreement, opens it and drinks half the bottle and then hands it back to the woman.

The woman takes the bottle and immediately puts the cap back on, and hands it back to the man.

The man asks, "Aren't you having any?"

The woman replies, "No. I think I'll just wait for the police...."

09/15/06
I didn't get where I am by thinking about it or dreaming about it.  I got there by doing it. – Estee Lauder, entrepreneur

The markets were trying to do it today, with a slight gain.  Oil dropped again and Ford fired another 10,000 and closed two plants.  I hope you stayed safe.

IBD says you can safely earn 15% a year with ETFs.  Who wants to try?
http://biz.yahoo.com/ibd/060913/etf.html

The Wealth Daily pick, AENS.ob was up another 28% today.  It is an alternative energy company with no product as far as I can see, but what do I know?  Do I have X-ray vision?
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=AENS.OB&t=3m

Another pick by them is MMCN, up 9% today.  I still cannot see the value.  Maybe if I get a stethoscope, it may be worth looking into.  (They are also big on the commodities, and they have been ill of late.)
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MMCN.OB&t=3m

My SBUX calls looked good as the stock hit 34.  Once I hit 100% on these, I am out!  Way too volatile for me (but nice when they are volatile UP)
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=sbux

I like the formation of the chart on CWTR, an excellent performer and I think the chart is saying 30 – which can be a nice gain on some Oct calls.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CWTR&t=1y

SYNM, maker of a synthetic fuel from natural gas and methane shot up today as they got an ok to test some of the fuel in a B-52 fighter plane.  A good test can have a great impact on the company.  SYNM was up 19%.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060915/20060915005325.html?.v=1

Keep thinking of ways to make it big in this market, and I will do the same.  Snowster

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

                         joke for the weekend


Three women die together in an accident
and go to heaven.                                             

When they get there, St. Peter says, "We only have one rule here in heaven: don't step on the ducks!"

So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place.  It is almost impossible not to step on a duck, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first woman accidentally steps on one.

Well, the Gates open and Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest man she ever saw.

St. Peter chains them together and says, "Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly man!"

The next day, the second woman steps accidentally on a duck and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing. With him is another extremely ugly man. He chains them together with the same admonishment as for the first woman.

The third woman has observed all this and, not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly man, is very, VERY careful where she steps.

She manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, but one day St. Peter comes up to her with the most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on ... very tall, long eyelashes, muscular, and thin.

St. Peter chains them together without saying a word.

The happy woman says, "I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?"

The guy says, "I don't know about you, but I stepped on a duck!"

09/18/06
"October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February." -- Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894)

NY Times says that lower oil prices should hurt the economy.  We will have fewer reasons to look for oil alternatives.  Oil prices are still high enough for the oil countries and the big oil companies to be making a lot of $$$.  So in respect of a good economy, oil was up a buck and the market was flat.

Chinese telecom XING was up 12%,  mutual fund company, GROW, grew a bit more today, up almost a dollar, NVEC is the nano-monster, jumping 10%, back up to 38 and JOSB inched up another .66, helping those call options.  Mystery energy stock, AENS.ob, defied gravity again, up 12%.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=xing+grow+nvec+aens.ob+josb

Alternative energy company, SYNM, was up 8% after Friday's big jump.  The company has great technology, but is far from profitable.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=synm

GIGM continued to show that it is not a gamble, up 5% again today.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=gigm

Do not forget to keep stops tight in this market.  Do not let a loss get out of hand.
Your pal, Snowcat.

09/19/06
I want to get a tattoo over my whole body – but taller.  Steven Wright

The stock markets were spooked today by a coup in Thailand.  Yahoo dropped big on sour reports for next quarter and oil dropped 2 bucks.

There is nothing much else going on.  In IBD, there is talk of the obvious: managers dropping oil stocks and buying technology.  Investors who were heavy into the energy sector are nursing their wounds now.  Market gurus who were yapping about $100/barrel oil now have as much credibility as those who said GOOG was going to $600.

But next week may be different.

Hold tight for a while, even the pros have been having a tough time in this market.  They are, however, looking for story stocks.  In the meanwhile, there are many good buys out there waiting to be found and scooped up.  Eugene

09/20/06
My wife will buy anything marked down.  Last year she bought an escalator. – Henny Youngman

The only thing marked down today, was the price of oil – down another dollar.  The Fed kept interest rates the same.

Back from the dead was ORCL, which has done nothing for years.  They announced some good numbers and the stock surged 11% on massive volume!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=orcl

Other former favorites that are back in vogue are tech companies like MOT.  Growing cell phone use and acquisitions are making the stock price rise.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=mot
And with more interest in tech, takeovers and mergers should arise – like FSL had a buyout offer last week and is still going strong!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=fsl

Clothing store, JOSB hit 30 today and SBUX was also up a dollar.  I am up almost 100% on the SBUX and 60% on the JOSB Oct. calls.

Clothing stores, AEOS, ANF and ZUMZ look like they will continue to climb despite $150 jeans.  (I don't understand it either, but high school kids NEED these clothes.)
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=josb+cwtr+sbux+aeos+anf+zumz

SYNM had good results using their fuel in a B-52 fighter and was up a bit today.  One of their problems is producing large quantities of the Syn-fuel.  But if they can, LOOK OUT!
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060919/20060919006154.html?.v=1

Until tomorrow, yours forever, Snow

09/21/06
I asked my wife, "Where do you want to go for our anniversary?"  She said, "Somewhere I have never been!"  I told her, "How about the kitchen?" – Henny Youngman

Stocks fell sharply Thursday after the Philadelphia Federal Reserve surprised Wall Street by announcing that its broadest measure of manufacturing activity fell to a negative reading for the first time since April 2003, renewing investor fears that the economy could be cooling too quickly.

I printed that verbatim because I am not sure what it means.  I do know that I was happier with my stock prices in the morning than in the afternoon.

Boxing/fitness Company, EVST got a boost today when word spread that they were coming out with an energy drink.  They have a great brand name and should take advantage of it.  The chart is choppy and the stock is thin though.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=EVST&t=6m

Mystery alternative energy company, AENS.ob, showed good energy rising almost 8%.  The company has no product, but the chart looks nice.  Do not be a bag holder.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=AENS.OB&t=3m

On the same note, MMC energy was up 9%.  Go figure.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MMCN.OB&t=3m

The pricey teen clothing stores I liked yesterday went on sale today with ANF getting a $2 price cut.  Better to gamble your money on something like GIGM, up another 3%.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=GIGM&t=1y

PSPT, the outsourcing company, rose 8% for no particular reason.  This company has earnings and a good looking future.  Like that matters.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=PSPT&t=1y

Computer seller SYX continues to rise in price and seems headed to the IBD 100 as it crashed through 15.  There may be a sell off tomorrow or Monday as sly investors set traps for the IBD 100 maniacs. 
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=SYX&t=3m&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=

Cool cat picks, BITS and USEY looked good today, bouncing out of their slumps with good gains today.  Cool cat is an investment newsletter with a great track record.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=bits+fuel+clec+usey+cnst

I was hit with drops in NVEC and PWEI, but I have small positions and will be patient on both.  One popular newsletter basically called NVEC's MRAM product "Witchcraft",
which I would still prefer to their recent oil and gold recommendations.

Stay Mean, for I am, Snowy

09/22/06
Sincerity is everything.  If you fake that, you've got it made.  – George Burns

It seems the last few days of good returns was a fake out as investors realized that the economy is really in a funk despite oil prices dropping again.

Today showed some big drops on solid companies.  This is not a good sign.

Big swingers for the day were Canadian software maker, COGN, frozen food maker, FZN, and pricey shoe maker GCO.  They all rose on good numbers.  Drug company, OSCI rose on a possible FDA approval of their pneumonia drug.  Everything else fell.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=osci+fzn+cogn+gco

"Alternative Energy Stock", AENS.ob rose almost another 8% on magic energy.  But today I hear they were thinking of a product, or saw one on a Star Trek rerun that looked good.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=AENS.OB&t=3m

Some top performers got hit hard: GROW -10%, PSPT -6%  ON A DOWNGRADE, SYX down 11% after the IBD maniacs rushed in to push it above 15 and PWEI and NVEC looked bad today.

Cool cat pick, software maker, BITS, was up another 10% today, following up on yesterday's breakout.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=bits

Have a healthy, prosperous and safe New Year.
http://www.danmeth.com/shofaridol.htm

Big Snowy

09/25/06
I really don't think I need buns of steel.  I'd be happy with buns of cinnamon. – Ellen DeGeneres, funny person.

The market was very rough in the morning, and then the Fed Chairman said that inflation will not be as bad as he thought because oil prices are coming down, so the market woke up.  Oil dropped another dollar a barrel.  Tobacco stocks dropped as a judge allowed a class action suit against them.

NVEC bounced off the 50 day moving average.  I think there was a large short interest in the stock which pushed the price down.  A 10% swing in this stock is nothing as it is very volatile.  There was and article in this month's "Business 2.0", a business magazine.  The article was about the "Disruptors" – people who dramatically changed the way the world did business – like Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison.  Spintronics can make a dramatic change in how computers and technology operate – saving tons of money in energy costs and speeding up the flow of information.  I am $8 off the high, but am hanging on to this one.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ta?s=NVEC&t=5d&l=on&z=m&q=l&p=m50&a=&c=

HMSY, the company that audits the books of Medicare and other govt. entities let me down big time as it continues to fall.  I was wrong on this one for the time being and took a 9% loss.  When the chart straightens up (which should be soon, now that I sold it) I will rethink the strategy.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=hmsy

The top performers continued to perform – AAPL is getting closer to 80!  Up over $2!
PSPT up another 4%!  Outsourcing is a key component of our society now and this is one of the better ones.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=PSPT&t=1y

SYX was down bad after Friday's beating, but finished almost even.  Indian auto builder, TTM has recovered, unlike its American counterparts who have gotten so big, they can no longer adapt. http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=syx+ttm

Semiconductor Company, SIMG, got back in its up trend with a 4% gain.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=SIMG&t=6m

The clothing stores, ANF, which the kids love, had a good day and I am a big fan of the chart of ZUMZ, which sells outfits to the skateboarding set.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=jsb+cwtr+sbux+aeos+anf+zumz

And Chinese telephone company, XING, is a Kung Fu monster, up another 8%!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=xing

PWEI and HMSY were really downers, "But aside from that Mrs. Lincoln, what did you think of the play?"

Right.   Let's look for better days ahead.  Snore-cat