This may be a blasphemous concept, but I don't think the foreclosure crisis has much to do with interest rates.  Yeah, they have gone up.  However, cost of oil shot up too.  What cost someone $1000 to heat a home 5 years ago, now costs almost $3000.  That's an extra $175 per month over the course of an entire year.  Plus the extra $150 that it costs for gas in the car.  Plus the increase in food prices ($75 month).  That's $400 per month off the top of my head.  Equal to or more than the increase in payments for many of those crushed by foreclosures.

Just some food for thought.

Yep, it's the retired folks that will suffer.  Hay, that's me! Told by a Smith Barney funds manager that perferred stock is safe and give good dividends.  Wrong, just lost $25,000 in Lehman perferred stock. Heading to the mattress with the rest.  Jay  

When the faith in the economic system fails so does the economy.  The financial geniuses and the Republican administration decided they knew more than anyone else on how to run the economy.  When capitalism runs without some governance, then greed will be the only moral value in making the right decisions.

The stock market is nothing but a Ponzzi scheme where everyone believes that there is someone else who will pay more for what they paid for it.  When that belief fails, panic sets in and everyone bails out.

Contrary to what Republicans believe, the economic cycles have never been cancelled due to their management of the economy.

What has happened or will happen to all of the CEOs, Managers, Federal employees who are responsible for this?  Will the government simply slap their wrists and let them go?  Jail time/fines?  Have heard very little about this.  Also, is it price gauging when you see  gas prices go up and no new deliveries are made to that gas station?

A Palin McCain win would add a few more "adjustments" to the economy following our Republican tradition of corporate greed, never ending war, and the erosion of the Constition.  Mandatory church attendance,  Martial Law, and the banning of books in our libraries would clean up this mess with Mother Palin in charge.  

I own 14,000 shares of linear technology hold?

No...the accolade for this should be placed with the voters that allowed Pelosi and company to 'change' America over the last two years.  America will no longer be America the Free...it will be bought at a price...and, should she have her way, it will be a VERY Socialist price.

I notice the Republicans and the Bush Administration gets blamed for all thats going wrong. Does anyone ever realize that the Democrats have had total control of Congress for (2) years-----yet it is all Bush's fault. When the Democrats took control of Congress gasoline was $1.59 per gallon, now it's $4.00. This story goes on and on. The Democrats were going to pass many bills in the first (72) hours. They're in control-------what happened? Why has there been no change?

26,000 shares of WM, well, you should at least hedge that position by selling 260 calls possibly the January expiration, or make the insurance bet and buy 260 puts to protect against the rest of the shares. Those solutions are only if you want to hold such a bad position.

I'd sell the position here and take the loss. Look for better investments. Remember, this financial mess is also driving down other very good stocks. I particularly like discount retailers like Big Lots, Inc. (BIG) here at $32 with a 6-month target of $50. I also like secondary education stocks like Apollo Group (APOL) here at $65 with a 4-month target of $85. In fact, I own 1000 BIG at $31.50, and 800 APOL shares at $65.54. Both positions were opened just last week. How this helps Bruce.

It's simple math.  This country will be taken without a shot being fired.