An observation. At the time the Agip wrote this:
Since the OP began this thread, the dow is up 5.0% exactly. 6 months of returns in 12 trading days. Even putting aside who the OP is, is this not a perfect example of how going on hunches can bite you very hard?
NB: OP claims he got out at 15,000, so he only has a 'loss' of 3.5%
...I was thinking to myself that I should buy puts. I didn't because I don't do that. But since September 18, the October OEX 730 puts have gone from about 1.75 to over 8, the November 730 puts have gone from 4.5 to 11. More than a little funny that the people who have been wrong are still trying to give you advice.
I do see that this whole thing is a buying opportunity but the falling into a hole part is not over yet. Once this whole thing is over (the January effect will start by Thanksgiving if not earlier), if you stay out or short, I think you will wish you hadn't. See the exchange between Sagarin an me maybe 15 pages above.