Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions (NASDAQ: MDRX) is the result of the recently completed merger of Florida-based Allscripts and the health care information technology business of London-based Misys.

The nearly ill-fated merger finally closed late in 2008, after having to be restructured following the untimely demise of Lehman Brothers, the architect of the original merger plans.

The merger with Misys places the company in the forefront of the Obama administration's emphasis on improving health care in part by improving the availability of medical information in electronic form.

Allscripts' solutions are the cutting edge of medical information systems, and the company should benefit substantially from a move in the direction suggested by Obama.

MDRX provides clinical software, connectivity and information solutions to its health care customer base throughout the United States. The company delivers its products through four divisions: Professional Solutions, Enterprise Solutions, Health Systems Group and Medication Services.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas was last week. In past years, just the anticipation of the world's largest electronics trade show was enough move technology stocks higher.

That was not the case this year, though, as investors grapple with a weak economy, frozen credit, plunging home values and rising unemployment. Just paying the bills and keeping one's head above water seems to be the order of the day. The market sold off hard last week, and not even the CES could pull it out of its funk. Still, there were some bright spots.

Palm, Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) gave its investors a taste of the old days as its shares soared 34% after its new touch-screen phone and mobile operating system garnered admiration from analysts and attendees at the CES.

Kirkland, Wash. based Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ: CLWR) closed on a transaction in December which merged the Sprint/Nextel (NYSE: S) wireless Internet business with the WiMax business of CLWR.

In connection with the transaction, CLWR secured $3.2 billion from a group of investors linked to the development of the wireless broadband industry, including Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) and Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWX).

Clearwater is offering its broadband service under the label "Clear."

While operating in a competitive environment for WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), CWTR has an advantage over WiFi, which is limited to access in small areas, such as home or coffee shop. WiMax, on the other hand, offers access from a very broad area and while being mobile in a vehicle.

Though not as capitalized as competitors like Verizon (NYSE: VZ) or AT&T (NYSE: T), the company's relationship with its investors should give it access to capital when needed.

On Jan. 9, due to a significant drop in the market value of CLWR stock, Intel announced a writedown of its investment in CLWR of $950 million. Intel is only the first of the investment group to reflect this writedown in their guidance for the quarter.

Driven by accounting rules mandating that investments in stocks that decline significantly in value be written off, the other publicly traded companies with investments in CLWR will be required to follow suit.

In the face of these writedowns, investors have kept the price of CLWR depressed in spite of recent good news from the company. At around $4.60, the stock is trading near its 52-week low of $3.24, and well below its high of $7.20.

The company's balance sheet reflects its growth mode, with a long-term debt-to-equity ratio of 186 and a current ratio of 3.25.

I don't like to toot my horn much, as there are plenty of loud mouths in this industry ready to tell you how great they are. I prefer to let my work do the talking, and lately that work has been screaming.

I'll make an exception to the rule today. Here goes: Following my suggestions can significantly improve your performance in the market.

Case in point is my list of Top 10 Stocks for 2009. With a week of trading under our belt, the S&P 500 is down approximately 1%. The aggregate return of an equally weighted portfolio consisting of the 10 stocks on the list is nearly 9%.

Included on the list are big gainers Chicago Bridge & Iron (NYSE: CBI), up 25% year to date, and Transocean (NYSE: RIG), up 15% year to date.

Now, a week does not make a year, but keep in mind that as goes January, so goes the rest of the year. I expect these stocks to continue outperforming by a wide margin for the remainder of the year.

It comes as no surprise that the top performer among the stocks comprising the S&P 500 Index is a retailer focused on delivering quality products and services at a discount price.

Family Dollar Stores (NYSE: FDO) increased nearly 30% in 2008, compared with a decrease of 40% in the S&P 500.

Defying the expectations of gloomy analysts who are paralyzed by their inability to value companies during the last 12 months, and by short sellers who perceived a price drop following the high level performance in 2008, the stock is continuing its climb as we enter the 2009 trading year.

Family Dollar reported first quarter earnings Wednesday, which exceeded analysts' expectations and company projections.

Earnings for the period were up by 14%, with revenue increasing by 4.2% and same-store sales up a healthy 2.1%. Market reaction to the report is stunning, with FDO up more than 14% at the close.

Family Dollar CEO Howard Levine, son of founder and Chairman Emeritus Leon Levine, issued a forecast of continued growth for the next quarter and for all of 2009.

The company is now projecting earnings of $1.63 to $1.81 per share for fiscal year 2009. Earlier forecasts were in the range of $1.58 to $1.78. Projections of same-store sales growth for the year were also increased from a range of 1%-3% to 2%-4%.

FDO combines conservative leadership with a consumer-friendly neighborhood store environment, and a product mix appealing to cost-conscious consumers to deliver value and a positive shopping experience. With minimal exposure to price-volatile electronic and apparel inventory, company performance is not likely to be adversely affected by a prolonged economic downturn.

FDO has more than 6,000 locations in 44 contiguous states. The company has effectively managed its rapid growth during the last five years, having opened more than half of its stores during this period.

So you're sitting on the sidelines waiting for a sign that the markets are safe for reasonable speculation. What are you looking for? Do you want to see a bull market return before committing capital? Are you waiting for signs that the economy is turning the corner? How about corporate earnings improvement?

In the near term I expect to see more and more of the proverbial corporate buybacks. As such, I suggest investors use that event as a signal on individual equity securities. The power of these validations of value can be stunning.

After the market closed on Wednesday, basic materials company, Walter Industries (NYSE: WLT), announced that it would be expanding its stock buyback program by $50 million. On the surface, such amount is a small fraction of the more than $1 billion of market value outstanding, but the move is more than symbolic.

Essentially, management is taking advantage of ridiculously low levels in its stock price. For those looking to establish a position, such a move is a great endorsement of the company and its future.

There were a few stocks in 2008 that exhibited great performance despite horrible market conditions. And these gems of 2008 may provide investors with a safe haven of sorts for 2009.

In fact, we are already hearing analysis of the year to come suggesting that biotechnology stocks will be the place to be for positive returns in the new year.

One such name to consider is Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN).

Founded in 1980, AMGN is one of the largest biotechnology companies in the market. It has a stable of proven drugs that provides significant profits, and a pipeline of opportunities that should provide reasonable growth in the future.

Shares of AMGN have gained approximately 20% during the last year as investors recognized the value of current profits combined with future growth. Interestingly, the company really gained traction during the second half of the year as the rest of the market was imploding.

Even with the gains, AMGN is a compelling investment story.

Shares trade for 15 times trailing earnings and only 12 times forward earnings. That means you can buy shares for a price-to-earnings ratio that is lower than its growth rate.

One reason for the optimism in the stock in 2008 was the progress made on its osteoporosis drug, Denosumab. Analysts are expecting the drug to be a blockbuster.

Denosumab has done well in trials, and AMGN recently applied for FDA approval to bring the drug to market. Given the expected 10-month FDA review and processing period, AMGN is only a year or so away from the sales benefits of this new drug.