Crap!

Tried to short CFC at close... Schwab told me that I need $100K + finder's fee for them to find me shares to short...Shorted MBI instead at $13.96. It's bounced 26% off its low, and apparently there's still room to short it.

Another trade:

Closed UAUA @ 32.52 up 30% since 1/08 @ 25.00.

Boooo-yah!

Seriously, though, I am watching several things for market sentiment. If BAC does indeed buy CFC (it's the only way they don't lose their whole $2 Bil from last summer) then I'll just have to short BAC sometime. This would give the financial sector a humongous bounce. I need some ammo for this possibility. Also, at the end of the month, we have Bush's State of the Union address Jan. 28, and the Fed meeting Jan. 29-30. Bush will almost certainly announce a one-time tax rebate of $500-1000 for the working man. This will boost the market. However, I don't see Bernanke lowering rates a half point, unless economic news gets worse over the next 2 and a half weeks.