Remember that song by Carly Simon, "You're So Vain?" I heard it on the radio the other day and thought it would be good song in an ad campaign for Palomar Medical Technologies (PMTI). Palomar sells lasers and pulsed light systems for popular cosmetic treatments that remove age spots or even that fading college tattoo.

I think most of us would agree that our health care system is far from perfect. Thankfully, health care is now at the front and center of the political debate. No matter who voters choose to elect this November, health insurance companies will be an integral part of the solution.

Was Dr. Seuss a stock and political pundit when he wrote, "Some are red. Some are blue. Some are old and some are new. Some are sad and some are glad. And some are very, very bad"?That sums it up pretty nicely if you ask me. We have some serious choices to make during this election season, and the outcome will impact portfolios in a big way.

Companies that are booming and producing record profits are watching their shares sold off as risk-adverse investors try to lock in any profit they can make. Maybe they figure the good times won't last. Who knows? All I know is that I can take advantage of the irrationality by scooping up shares of undervalued companies.

Why is it that when I think of oil giant ExxonMobil (XOM), all I can see is the tanker Valdez sinking in Prince William Sound and creating one of the greatest ecological disasters on record? Is this perhaps a premonition of what will become of ExxonMobil in the future? Unfortunately, I think so.

For those that enjoy warm sunny days and bright blue skies, the market rally over the last two weeks has been a very welcome tonic. Of course with the weather, a storm can blow in at any time putting an end to the euphoria. Same too in the market,

There are a lot of different ways to play the stock market. One can be successful using just about any discipline–be it value, growth, income… you name it. But sometimes–if you are lucky–you run across a stock that fits into more than one category.

Enough of the bad news. Let's all turn our attention to sectors and companies that are actually performing well during these turbulent times. Front and center is the biotechnology sector.

Shares of Chicago Bridge and Iron (CBI) were stung last week on the news of a huge pre-announcement of earnings. Apparently CBI would be taking a large charge to for unexpected cost over-runs at two of its liquefied natural gas terminals (LNG) in the United Kingdom.

Earnings season is always a difficult time to invest, but this one seems to have been harder than most. Companies that have hit earnings homeruns have gotten punished, while the ones that deserve to strike out, have seen their shares rally. And sometimes a good company's stock gets so beaten up it simply defies logic.

A few years back, I made Deckers Outdoor (DECK) one of my top portfolio selections. Back then, we were buying at below $30 a share. With a little help from an Oprah Winfrey endorsement of its furry little boot, DECK stock took off. By the end of 2007, shares crossed the $160 mark. But that was then and this is now...

I'm frequently asked to name my favorite stock to buy. So what's my favorite today? The choice isn't even close for me. I can't think of another name that's been beaten up by the market for so many unjustifiable reasons: Sirius Satellite Radio. It's ready to explode, and there are many reasons why you want to own SIRI now.

Are we there yet? Are the last vestiges of the mortgage crisis finally upon us? Wachovia (WB), the nation's fourth largest financial institution, announced earnings that missed expectations due to credit-to-credit losses that were greater than expected.

B/E Aerospace (BEAV), the world's leading manufacturer of cabin interior products for commercial passenger and business jets, has seen its shares plummet 50% this year as analysts worried that high fuel prices will cause airlines to cut back on replacing older seats to save cash.

Last week the market rallied, and some will claim this is nothing more than a dead cat bounce and a short covering move higher. I disagree completely. This rally has legs, and you would be wise to take advantage by establishing long positions, abandoning commodities and covering your shorts.

Finally, some positive news from the banking sector! Wells Fargo (WFC), the nation's fifth-largest bank, announced it earned $0.53 cents per share in 2Q. Yes, that's a 23% decline from a year ago, but the results topped analyst estimates of $0.49 a share. The company also announced.

August 1st marks the one-year anniversary of the I-35W bridge collapse in my hometown of Minneapolis. This catastrophic event put the entire country on alert with regard to our crumbling domestic infrastructure. The enormity of the problem, and amount of money required to fix it, provided a boost to companies that deal in heavy construction.

As the banking system crumbles around us, let's turn our attention to other, more fashionable sectors. With capitulation finally upon us, I'm preparing a long list of stocks to buy amid the carnage. One name I have had an eye for is Pacific Sunwear (PSUN).