I have followed insider trading for over 17 years. I wanted to report some of this weeks transactions that look interesting.

BUYS

SOVEREIGN BANCORP (SOV)- 950,000 shares bought by BANCO SANTANDER CENTRAL HISPANO SA (10% Owner)@ $20.56 for $19,536,318. Shares Owned 8,430,100.

SIX FLAGS (SIX)- 500,000 shares bought by Washington Redskins owner SNYDER

The pessimism is so thick you could cut it with a knife. If we could put our contrarian hats on for a few minutes, you will quickly come to the conclusion that the stock market does not go when the majority sees something being obvious. In fact, the market is probably at its best when it frustrates the majority of the people playing a particular direction.

Phillip Erlanger, at Erlanger

Once again, the Dow continues to battle with the 11,000 mark. I have not been posting multiple journal posts for a few simple reasons;

1) If you have been keeping up with my journal, you know what I think, and you know where I stand.
2) I only post my journal when I have something to say. In the blogging world, I am told that the more times you write you post blog entry, the more

As many of us battle over who we ultimately choose to be the successor trustees of our estate, you need to keep in mind how many bank trust departments operate.

Through the years, I have told clients that banks have their own agenda's when it comes to your assets. This article on Wachovia is an example of what I am talking about.

Well, this is the week that many investors have been waiting for. The Federal Reserve will meet this week, and raising short-term rates to 5.25% is a given. The wildcard out there is will the Fed pause after a .25bps move, wait until August to pause after raising rates another .25bps, or have the guts (or stupidity) to raise rates .50bps and stop.

The first scenario is a lock because m