Whenever I go get an oil change (often, whenever I find myself with a good coupon to a local oil change service provider), I always notice that little sticker in the corner of my windshield that they affix during the oil change.

Usually, it lists the mileage at which I should get my next oil change (according to them) and often lists the approximate date at which I should reach that mileage.

Every weekday, I drive my daughter to preschool. It’s a nice routine, one that gives me a chance to spend some time with her. I make breakfast for her, make sure she’s adequately dressed for the weather, brush her beautiful long hair, and then we’re off to her preschool.

Along the path from home to preschool is a gas station. That station has the lowest gas prices within about a ten mile radius, so it’s the one I tend to use regularly.

Today I was reviewing some of the news from the NY Times and it got me a bit depressed. Chances are that if you did, you are feeling the same way. It’s one thing for the Times to break down why Apple’s iPhone is being made in China rather than the US but more depressing are the reasons why and what it means. Hint.. iPhone production is not coming back to the US anytime soon, so are all of those lost jobs from the last couple of decades.

One of the main activities that trip up traders, especially new traders, is the concept of continual price movement in one direction without meaningful pullbacks – also known as “powerful trends,” “creeper trends,” or “positive feedback loops.”

Let’s take a look at the current situation and put it in the context of prior S&P 500 day-over-day one directional movement.

First, the hourly S&P 500 pure price chart:

Questionable yields from algae have not held back OriginOil, Inc. (OOIL:  OTC/BB), one of the nascent developers of algae-based biofuel.  In December 2011, the company entered into a joint venture with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to developer biorefineries to serve U.S. and NATO fuel requirements.  The joint venture  -  called Future Energy Solutions Unlimited, Inc.