this is an adventure

Patrick Ruffini on town hall protesters: “Take as an object lesson the Bush Administration’s treatment of the anti-war movement. Early on, they were, in words Marc used, easy to mock… However, the left ultimately won the political argument about the war… because the ever-increasing chorus of opposition eventually ignited a media backlash against the war.”

“Industrial output expanded by 10.8 per cent in July from a year before, less than most economists had predicted. Fixed asset investment growth rose 32.9 per cent from a year earlier for the first seven months of year, indicating some slowing in July as half-year growth had been 0.7 percentage points higher.”

“It’s a danger sign,” said Ronald Egalka, a 36-year options trader who oversees $8 billion as chief executive officer of Rampart Investment Management in Boston. “People expect volatility to pick up in the future, and that implies that there’s going to be a downward movement in the market.” Have we really found the floor?

What’s the matter with AAPL? Competition hatred: “Apple will face a user revolt in the coming years based upon Microsoft, Google and other yet-to-be-formed companies, undercutting their core markets with cheap, stable and open devices. Apple’s legendary comeback ability will be for naught if they don’t deeply examine their anti-competitive nature.”