JBL: Span the Globe

Meanwhile, the latest energy bill in Congress will assure the oil shippers strong demand for years to come. Bipartisan efforts to block new refineries and fuel-efficiency standards mean that we are doing virtually nothing to solve our energy needs. This is not good for America, but it's great for the shipping companies.

Tsakos has a forward P/E of around 6 with a dividend yield of around 6. The nine-month highlights released before the market opened Friday showed record net income of $100.9 million vs. $89 million a year ago, EPS of $5.06 compared with $4.77. The company also repurchased 738,790 shares.

Net revenue decreased to $198.03 from $215.03 million on lower utilization and charter rates. Tsakos benefited by $24.81 million from the sale of four of its older tankers.

I own shares of Tsakos and recently added more.

The Crusher Gets Pinched

In my first column for TheStreet.com, I recommended Dell (DELL), which issued a profit warning this past week. Dell had $450 million in restructuring and other charges related to a defective part, and said earnings would come in at the bottom end of forecasts.

While Dell is not the growth engine it once was, it is still a solid company. Shares of Dell have slid from my recommended level of $32.08 to under $30 as of Friday's close. While I might not be buying shares here, I still own shares of Dell and I would not recommend selling them.

Remember: Being poor is bad, staying that way is stupid.

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