... Just as the short side has been become too easy. The point of maximum frustration cannot be reached in a straight line. As much as anybody else, Todd, you taught us that!

Donke Shoen.

What is this "Donkey Show" you keep referring to?
I guess it involves what is happening to the taxpayer.

Trying to figure out the following:

When SP500-600 comes, what to buy. P/E should be falling for quite a while. Should be some value available, but John Mauldin is predicting 5-6 years of muddle though, so it will be hard to find. But I can imagine people need hamburgers and shaving cream.

Trying to figure out when the commodity bottom is relative to the stock bottom. Heard Jim Rogers on Aussie TV stating that farmers will be the ones driving Lamborginis in the future, not Wall Street types? An odd statement to make, in that it is so definitive.

Trading the inverse indexes with heavy stops. Fridays unemployment number is hinted to be bad (but of course we could rally on it).

Have you considered straddle positions with stops. The news is so volatile that each day could go either way. But we all know eventually it can still go lower.

When she saw the bad guys get on the boat Walker should have simply called her dimwitted boss on the chopper. She could have stayed dry and the guys on the chopper could have shot-up the boat. Love Jack Bauer, but the scripts for 24 for are icredibly stupid, makes the "Bourne" franchise look like "Citizen Cane".

Transparency trumps allusions, Goldilocks runs for cover.

It's apparent finally that very few folks like G W Bush are assuming that fundamentally our economy is sound. Capital Hill meetings reflect the stark reality of our situation. (Thank God) finally. The news is all about what shambles our economy is in.

Finally we can begin the business of solving our crisis rather then to bury our heads in a sand box. We can begin to rebuild trust by clawing back some of the excessiveness with in the financial system. We can rebuild trust by taking the likes of Madoff and putting him in prison where he belongs. We want Claw backs on his wife's supposed separate fortune. Bank presidents for bankrupt Banks like Wamu, Indy Mac Wachovia, countrywide can face their day of reckoning.

Real Estate values can fall back to earth and Realtors can face their own day of reckoning with more realistic commissions. Last weekend I looked at a home price at over 400 thousand that should be less the 220 thousand. The Realtor knew it was over priced and admitted it as soon as I asked how she did her market analysis. The owner was aware it was overpriced and wanted to list it that way anyway. My conclusion was that the purpose was to lead prospective buyers of other homes close by to assume that the price on the home they were looking at was a good deal when comparing it to the one priced at over 400 thousand.

In my life time I have dealt with some of the sleaziest realtors out there. Good looking ladies with the morals of a snake when it comes to making a deal. Greedy men and women that will lie through their teeth with no regards of what damage they might be doing to their customers just to get the sale or listing. Bible thumping sleaze bags using religion as a back drop to promote the illusion of honesty. It's a sick world in Real Estate. This has to change.

Maybe now people can save for their future and not watch it disappear with inflation. 200 million people saving 5 dollars a month will put a billion in the bank. 100 dollars a month is 20 billion. Multiply that by a year and that's 140 billion plus interest. Lots of folks can save a lot more then that.

Look what demand destruction has done on oil prices from a 150 a barrel to 40 in just a few months. Hundreds of billions are no longer going over seas. In time Oil execs will be forced to face reality and quit stealing billions from their shareholders.

Stopping the war in Iraq will redirect hundreds of billions back into our economy for green tech projects.

Why are the Republicans politicians so dead set on forcing failure on working class Americans by fighting Democrats and their efforts to restore the economy versus being a part of a bi partisan team to resolve our crisis. Working class Americans R & D alike asked for bipartisan politics after the elections. Both parties had better work it our or there will be hell to pay in the future.

I have yet to see much progress in cleaning up our markets. Sarbanes Oxley is only as good as those who enforce it. In fact at this point it is useless. Wall Street refused to even police it owns which leaves it a complicated cess pool run by thieves who are fighting oversight ever step of the way knowing that it would dry up their source to steal from if oversight ever became effective. They are still a long ways away from ever seeing any of my money.

Where did all that money go? 30 trillion in market caps world wide lost in assumed wealth on paper and electronically. Trillions more stolen by excessive wages and bonus plans. That's why cash is king even though it's only worth .28 cents its still worth more then a slip of paper that was levered 40 to 1 back by a promise or insurance company like AIG.

A good contract should not need insurance if it was truly backed by assets of fair value. That's why ten to one ratios are even too high.

One last disturbing thought is that with asset deflation of 40% and up, loan demand in the future for banks will be cut in half. Not good in an economy that was over banked in the best of times.

Have a wonderful day.

JPM

I agree Michael. In the 60's we had "I Spy" and "Mission Impossible" and "Mod Squad" and I remember thinking then how cool they were and "realistic". In hindsight it was pure silliness and beyond sophomoric. I stopped watching 24 after the first season. It was so far fetched from reality, often corny, and frequently predictable in its own bizarre way. People often asked me "did you see 24? Isnt it scary? Do you think they are really doing that?" And I just laughed. Its great distraction and entertainment and nothing more.

Toddo,

Traded 0 million sh/day in October, now trades 18M sh/day just 5 months later.

Someone in America must be preparing the 5x and 10x ETF.

FAZ 18 million sh/day?

Fozzie is coming to town with Gonzo.

Farmers will be rich because food will become the most valuable commodity.

I'd say Grains, Gold, and Oil would work.

Of course, you need water, energy, and Colgate-Palmalive for your three S's.

Cheers!
Eric

New Yorkers love The Boss. Just so you know, the rest of us really don't care. How funny (or sad?) is it that "Born in the USA" is sold on a Japanese owned label. Wasn't that just on Minyanville?