Back in 1986, when celebrity nude photographs came in 16 pixels of black and white, a game called Bubble Bobble was released.
The game was a true hit and if you ever bore of slicing up fruit, or lining up fake candy all day long on your smart phone, I'm sure you can find a version of it online to play. Some 20+ years later the game still rings a bell in this old head of mine and it is a classic... we were just as good at making mind dumbing video games back then as we are today....... also the Bubble Theme seamlessly melds the stock market into focus. What better way to draw in some bearish eyes. "BUBBLE" forget the Bobble! Brilliant! I knew there was a reason I was writing about it.
One of the keys to completing the game: you could not do it alone. You had to do it with someone else.
The game was one of the first video games to feature multiple endings. If the player completes the game in single player mode, they will get the "Bad ending", with the remark: "Try again with your friend". If it is finished with two players, they get the "Good" ending, where the brothers are changed back and reunited with their girlfriends.
I feel like this market is trading much the same way, in that it's still a one player game. Stocks hit a fresh record today before pulling back, and despite the record prices, I still feel like we have yet to play 2 player. We've completed the 100 levels of Bubble Bobble alone.
There is joy in completing something alone, but today's record prices in the stock market felt like hitting a hole in one at a golf course while no one is looking. It isn't as fun.
I continue to see the bearish pieces, the wonderment, the disbelief and while anyone long this market has clearly cleaned his balls too many times before hitting his driver..... if that makes any sense.... this has to be one of the most hated markets in history.
There's a reason we just completed Bubble Bobble in one player mode. No one else wants to play. They are too busy penning their next "Sell the rip" piece. No one wants the to see "Bubby and Bobby" rescue their girlfriends from the Evil and appropriately named "Drunk"? Nothing says hot better than 2 pixels of pink. Back in 1986 we actually used our imaginations and boy did we need them. These days all we need is an anonymous twitter handle and a sarcastic lip.
Who is Player 2? When are they joining us in a game of good 'ole Bubble Bobble? Its those resident bears. You know who they are. The ones who have miraculously survived this historic stock market rally shorting every stock under the sun on the few days during the year when the market falls, and then spend the ensuing days, as the market rallies and their tremendously bearish bets get magically covered, talking about Tennis and old rock concerts.
When Player 2 signs up this market is going to get another jolt higher. Have no fear, when Player 1 and Player 2 complete Bubble Bobble there is one final round in Super mode.
And guess what? When that round gets completed, everyone lives happily ever after.... THE END!