SelfInvestors - Trading Small/Mid Cap Stocks: Technical Analysis/Research; Market Commentary

Oil Drilling In ANWAR Alaska NOW!

I have long been in favor of oil drilling in ANWR Alaska, which in reality is a very small place within what is most of the year a frozen tundra.  The benefits greatly outweigh the negatives in this case and we must do everything we can to eliminate our need for foreign oil and lower the price of fuel.  It's critical to our economy and our security.  Critics argue the environmental impact or the amount of time it will take to see any benefit of drilling.. but the time for action on all fronts is now.. MORE drilling both in ANWR and offshore, subsidies for renewable energies and nuclear power, larger tax breaks for electric cars, widespread education on the importance of "green" living.  No, one piece won't solve all the problems, but put together and tackling the issue from all sides can make a huge difference. 

Investors Business Daily pens editorials on the ANWR drilling debate all the time and I found the article over the weekend a good read.  They criticize Democrats for their foolish attempts to solve higher fuel prices by taxing oil companies and the argument that increased offshore drilling will only bring down gas prices by a few cents.  IBD argues for letting the free market work and that by allowing drilling might just drive away oil speculators and drop oil to reasonable levels.. whatever that is these days!  It will be very interesting to see Obama (for bigger government and more regulation) debate McCains "let the market do its thing" over the next 6 months. 

If you'd like to see Congress quit blaming others and do something about our energy policy, consider signing the "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" petition.

It's Official: Apple Now #1 Music Retailer

It was really just a matter to time before Apple could claim the top spot as world's largest music retailer.  They were the first to make paid digital downloads work and much if not all of that is directly correlated to the success of the Ipod.

Last month the company passed Best Buy as the #2 retailer and yesterday in an internal memo, Apple declared victory with a 19% share of the market (WalMart is 2nd with 15%, Best Buy 3rd 13%). 

As evidence of an obviously changed landscape in the music world, research firm NPD Group says that 38% of teens didn't buy a single CD in 2006 and that jumped to nearly 50% last year.

Ashley Dupre The Pop Star

Things happen for a reason.  There's no such thing as bad publicity.  Both cliches could be attributed to Spitzers high priced call girl Ashley Dupre (aka Kristen) who was caught in the middle of the high profile scandal last week.  It was a day her life changed forever and not in a way she probably imagined at the outset.  The publicity has made the aspiring singer an overnight pop sensation.  Just how long it will last is anyone's guess, but according to Bloomberg her singles What We Want and Move Ya Body have been played millions of times.   At AmieStreet.com, where the price of songs increase based on demand, her single Move Ya Body topped the charts (and still is) just hours of being posted.  Now Larry Flynt and Playboy are calling.