Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ), New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NYMT) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT) are three of our favorite stock picks for 2012. 

Let's dive into it.

Microsoft (MSFT), Nintendo (NTDOY), and Sony (SNE) shares are all trading 9% and under from their respective 52-week lows.  Either this is madness, a great time to buy, or just a sign of the times.

Research in Motion (RIMM) hit another all-time low today of $12.95, shares are now trading just above $13 down around 3%.  That makes a 78% decline for RIM shares in 2011, its worst performance -- ever.  Mastery is tempted to buy RIM now that is has fallen to such a "cheap" level, however we believe it will slide further.

Instead of taking a risk on a given technology stock, buy the best with ROM.  That would be the ProShares Ultra Technology (ETF) (NYSE:ROM) which we talked up back in Sept.  The ROM is made up of tech giants Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), IBM (IBM) and many more. 

Tomorrow (Dec 6th) Microsoft's (MSFT) XBOX 360 consule gets a big improvement and if you have a Kinect you are going to love it.  At first you will be able to control NetFlix within the system, but come early next year welcome HBO GO and Xfinity On-Demand.

Last week the Godfather of financial blogging Barry Ritholtz put out a great article that listed the top 10 holdings of our U.S. Congress.  Making the top 5 were General Electric (GE), Procter and Gamble (PG), Bank of America (BAC), Microsoft (MSFT), and Cisco Systems (CSCO).

Stocks are down again, but if you had listened to us last Friday you would be sitting in cash.  Thanks to the Super Committee failing and the continued drama in Europe, there was no other option but for stocks to decline.  Mastery loves some of the stocks that have taken it on the chin, including Microsoft (MSFT), Best Buy (BBY), and the mother of all financial companies Goldman Sachs (GS).

FYI, Microsoft (MSFT) is now under $25, trading today at $24.80 which is 4.64% away from its 52-week low.  We wanted to alert our readers as we said yesterday in Move over Doom, let's go Shopping (BBY, MSFT, GME, GE) to make an entry point under $25.  Microsoft is a solid company, a not so solid company that is trading close to its 52-week low is Crocs Inc (CROX).  CROX is 3.9% away from its 52-week low.  Crocs is trading at $15.56 which clocks the stock at a P/E ratio of 12.5. 

Fellow Masters, its brutal 2% declines in the Dow Jones and S&P 500 that create the best buying opportunities and a chance to buy on the cheap.  Making the cut for potential considerations are Microsoft (MSFT), Best Buy (BBY), GameStop (GME) and General Electric (GE).

Warren Buffett says he likes Microsoft (MSFT) stock, but that he will never buy it. Richard Williams, Cross Research analyst, discusses.