[MMike]

I fully admit that I don't really know much about finance/economics etc... And being an engineer, I deal largely in absolutes.

That said, the stock market is so stupid. I friend of mine is a financial planner. And years ago he was "teaching" me about the market. And he told me that it's just a string of self-fulfilling prophecies...

"I think there's going to be a market crash!"
"What????? A market crash??? GAH!!! Sell! SELL!!"

And the market crashes...

And it really doesn't seem much more complicated than that.

"If we don't pass the bailout bill, the market will crash"
And gee......look what happened. Chicken and egg.

I learned almost everything I know from Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy.

 

[valve bouncer]

If I hear "this is the worst financial crisis since the Depression" one more time I'm gonna get Manimal to tase everyone in the yambag.

 

[3D.]

things can be funny, when there's funny money

 

[X3pilot]

things can be funny, when there's funny money

 

[johnbryanpeters]

See Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, pubished a long time ago.

 

[dante]

Well, the market (unfortunately) has gotten one step beyond that. It's like playing chess and you can think one move ahead, but that's it.

Step one - OMFG teh markets are going to crash!
Step one.five - wait a sec, markets usually come back after a crash...
Step two - markets are down somewhat
Step two.five - people rush in and buy
Step three - wait a second, the underlying weakness of the market is still there...
Step four - agonizingly slow slide towards DOW 5000.

 

[JohnE]

So when it all comes back in a month or so, McCain engineered it all, the GOP is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and Obama and the rest of the Muslims can all go to hell...
Is there enough lead time? Dont think so.