The Scrabbled: Making Fun of Each Other since '99

I have a ING checking account that started with a 4.00+% APY and has dropped to sub-1.50%. I am beginning the process of investing/trading because I want to make more money with my money. I just signed up for Etrade but have not transferred any money just yet.

I was in the car around noon today and the lady on NPR was talking about how the stocks were steadily increasing today and I’m thinking “oh how nice. I guess they’ll start climbing back up now.”

The DOW ended down another -650 points today for the biggest percentage drop in this whole crisis. Jesus.

Unwittingly in honor of the supposed “Black Monday” we’re supposed to have today (though is seems the DOW is already recovering…), I watched Trading Places today out of sheer boredom/procrastination. It occurred to me that I still have no idea what the fuck happens during the climax of the movie on the stock exchange floor. So I looked it up and, lo, apparently I’m not the only who didn’t have a clue. Lucky for us, we have the internet to explain things for us. It’s actually pretty ridiculously interesting and all very much real-world economics — no hollywood crap.

Anyone paying attention to what’s going on in the world stock market right now? It’s down over 300 points. People are losing tens of thousands of dollars. People like this kid who filmed himself watching the numbers drop. A little scary, a little exciting, a little amusing.