It was Travers who went to the office of a company and asked to be allowed to see the books. The clerk asked him, "Have you an interest in this company?" and Travers answered, "I sh-should s-say I had! I'm sh-short t-t-twenty thousand sh-shares of the stock!"
-- Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
Going short -- that is to say, taking a position that profits on a decline -- is like using Betty Crocker cake mix. There are all kinds of recipes you can whip up, each one unique.
