From April 3, 2008:

(from Wikipedia)

History

In 1861, Mexico ceased making interest payments to its main creditors. In response, in late 1861, France (and other European countries) attacked Mexico to try to force payment of this debt. France decided that it would try to take over and occupy Mexico.

God is telling you something

For the first time in history, the price of gold and platinum are almost exactly the same.  Think about that.  This has never happened before, ever. 

Put another way: you have some gold, and you can trade it in for the same weight in platinum.

I don't know if that's bearish for gold (it goes to $500) or superbullish for platinum (back to $1580) but it is clearly a situation which cannot last.  Plan accordingly.

(Original idea here.)

     Pearson's r = 0.943, that's amazing.
     Maybe CNBC viewers are exhausted.  But they're checking out, and if Professor Pearson has anything to say about this, VIX has to fall very soon.
     FYI, the VIX is at the highest point in 20 years.  Remember 800.  It is inevitable.
I'll write something funny, maybe about narcissism, for you all on Saturday.  You know, to go with the rum.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.  Move.

If you do not need to sell, don't.

The markets are tanking more than is necessary for even the most severe recession.  What makes it scary is that it is happening in days, not months, relentless-- it's happening in internet time. 

The S&P500 goes to 800 and Dow to 7500, these are inevitabilities.  But you can't trade it because the volatility is too high-- so don't.

Some people need to sell-- especially hedge funds caught the wrong way; or people selling the good stocks to raise money to cover debts, taxes, redemptions, whatever.

If you have cash and can wait for 800 and 7500, then feel free to buy then.  Stocks aren't falling, they are being stomped on, compressed.  When the real companies rebound, their stocks will likely explode higher, like.. a coiled spring.

Let me quote the late, great, Mitch Hedberg: "I'm tired of following my dreams. I'm just going to figure out where they're going, and hook up with them later."

Don't follow the market.  Just meet it at 800.