As Precision Castparts (PCP) keeps running away from me, I’ve been searching for the “next play” in specialized/engineered metals and materials. In this new age of industrializing the world, specialized materials play a huge role behind the scenes that make this whole process possible. Working with solid materials might almost seem arcane in this digital age, but material technology has been developing at a rapid pace as well, allowing engineers to design materials down to the very molecule structures so a material can do whatever you want. This advance allows us to cut out a lot of mechanical systems in certain applications. For instance, some materials can absorb shock, thus removing the need to build a spring into a system - eliminating the hassle of installing the string, quality control of the string, and wear and tear in the connections. Today’s extreme tech all need these space-age materials. Nuclear plants need metals with unnatural properties to withstand the abuse inside. Cell phones now use antennas of just a piece of metal with all the communications properties built into the metal. In my search, I looked at Brush Engineered Materials (BW), which is okay. However, Precision Castparts is still best of breed as it’s portfolio of businesses is in all the right trends from aerospace to nuclear power with international exposure. Here’s the skinny on why I don’t like Brush Engineered Materials as much.

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Taser’s (TASR) stock looks like it’s ready for its next leg up, coinciding with Senator John Kerry’s promotion in this video:

Article Summary
How is Europe placed in the global image sensor market? Tom Hausken of market analyst Strategies Unlimited looks at regional revenue shares and the consequences of a fabless versus integrated manufacturing approach.

Great article on the chip manufacturing industry, not just image sensors as the title suggests.  Almost qualifies as a industry research report.  This is a wonderful read for those of us who don’t work in chip design or manufacturing- so we understand industry trends, challenges, and supply chain strategies are working now so we can look for them and listen for them from company management.  My friend from NVidia agrees with the article’s conclusions so I’ll take this article for what its worth.  Gotta sign up for a free account, but this site has great info so you should be signed up already! (no i’m not affiliated with them…just an honest promotion of a good product)

I know, this is a stock blog, not to be mixed with politics. You’ll have to excuse this one as film and video editing is a new (passionate) hobby of mine and this is a very public way to get started. More importantly, I feel (as indicated by the Dollar dropping like a falling knife) that America is in the crapper and will quickly throw our decades of global leadership away if we have a lousy President. Mitt Romney is a fellow Wall Street, deal-making, problem-solving legend who knows how the global economy works. Unlike many of our leaders right now, he actually has plans and thoughts for himself. I believe we need Mitt Romney to make strategic deals with the global community that’s strangling our throats right now, the same reason we had to snatch Hank Paulson from Goldman (GS) to run Treasury. I don’t want someone (politicians) who only knows how to work in Washington…because places like Beijing, London, Tehran, Berlin, and Baghdad now dwarf Washington’s influence and importance. If you don’t think that’s so…you must get out (of our country) more and see where the times are at. If you don’t feel the same way about Mitt Romney, at least show some love for ME! and vote for the video if you can. Competition ends September 17th so vote now! If mine wins we’ll get to see it on national TV…now how Xciting is that? Xtra Xciting!

Title: Workingman (57 sec)

To vote, go to this address: http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=85052FC45C4C11DC8538000423CF0184

What do I believe strongly in? That we need a smart, effective, decision maker as president. Our country has so many problems, if any of the other politician jokers take office we’ll be doomed. By 2009 we’ll be just a shadow of a great country like Britain is today. If you don’t know Mitt Romney, he is a very smart man. Got both his Law and MBA degree from Harvard in just 4 years time, started private equity firm Bain Capital that focused on helping start companies and turning around troubled companies. He turned around the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and turned around Massachusetts as Governor, getting universal healthcare for everyone. This guy is a problem solver, and I’m not sure the other politicians are. They’re just talkers, negotiators at best. Romney knows how to use people, consultants, to get results. And we all know this is how things get done. This is my view, but please go to MittRomney.com to get to know him if you get a chance.

**Disclosure: Author owns shares of Goldman Sachs (GS)**