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    What am I supposed to do now?

    Wow, this is a good thread and kind of right up the alley of my life as of late. I have been a full time trader for over five years and averaged about +100K a year. Life was certainly good, but I was trading European products and living in California and the night shift was eating me alive. I...
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    difference between market-making and just proprietary trading?

    Don't know about the US, but on Eurex MMs also pay the exchange, but at a significant discount if the market-making requirement is met. The requirement is that a certain percentage of quotes must be responded to. There is no obligation to trade someone's bid or offer, but if they hit yours...
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    State of the Union and Patriot Act II

    Wow... I don't normally get involved in the political rantings on this site, but I really just have to ask a question... What is the liberal agenda? Clean up the environment. Promote understanding and acceptance between different socio/economic classes. Decrease private ownership of...
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    Were you profitable in 2005?

    Was I profitable in 2005? What a silly question... of course. Wasn't everybody?
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    Are you one of the best in your field?

    Yes. Market-maker.
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    What do you call yourself?

    market-maker. Most people just nod and say, "Oh."
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    What's the dumbest thing you've done?

    Short over two points of bund vol on expiration day and there is a plane crash or earthquake somewhere in the world (I can't remember now, this was about two years ago...) and the market took off north and I am swinging 25 lots at the futures market trying to anti-scalp and am not getting any...
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    What posts make the true old pros laugh?

    Wow. What do I find funny... people who come on ET and say that there are no "pro" traders on here. What do you have to do to be considered a pro? Tremendous volume? Be paid commision and salary to trade someone else's cash? Have a huge pile of your own cash to trade? Do you have to be a...
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    Stanford MBA vs Berkeley Financial Engineering

    Wow... sometimes this site makes me realize just how non-unique I am. This guys question is something I am wrestling with right now. I am about to stop trading full-time (yearly take of about 150,000 to 225,000) and take a full-time job with a great company that only pays 90K and try trading...
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    Where does everyone live/trade and how old.

    30, trading in Los Angeles, but started in Chicago and about to move to San Francisco. Full-time options trader, about to become part-time.
  11. V

    Don's openings and more for 2005

    Thanks for the clarification, Don. I figured there was more to it. You continue to prove yourself a gentleman and a scholar. Happy trading.
  12. V

    Don's openings and more for 2005

    I hope this doesn't make me sound like a jerk, because I am asking this as a legitimate question... Reading through this thread, the profit numbers tend to be around $150 - $450 a day trading several thousand shares. Is that enough of a profit for that kind of exposure? I'm not a stock...
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    successful traders

    Stockpile it, so that when trading goes bust I will have something to show for it. Pay off my mortgage. Wow, neither of those answers is very sexy. I do think about moving to Manhattan sometimes and spending it on drinking and girls. Then I snap out of it and take my dog for a walk.
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    Why do so many even try....

    Trading really isn't that hard. Frustrating... yes. Discouraging... yes. But hard? Hmmm... Becoming a doctor is hard. Becoming a nuclear engineer, that's hard. Learning how to do basic math and apply minor self-control? That should be easy, but for some reason when you dangle the...
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    Anyone on the west side in LA?

    A valley rat may not be welcome in this thread, but I'm in Van Nuys. Please refer to it as Sherman Oaks adjacent. What do you guys think of the LA housing market right now... I'm getting twitchy and thinking about dumping? Not trying to change the thread just trying to get a local feel...
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    EUREX HUB in Miami anyone?

    Lets get them to build one in Los Angeles. Huge population, have to be a lot of potential traders out here. Please, Eurex?
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    "Selling Volatility"

    What else would you be doing?
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    How much do you make? How much do you think Market-makers make?

    Hiya, I read a lot of posts on here that mention market-makers and how they actually get their bid or offer when they trade. It just seems like people think that trading is a cake walk for market-makers. I will admit that there is a big advantage for MMs vs. retail traders, but what I was...
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    Are there any age limits on Trader recruitment?

    If you have experience, 30/31 isn't too old. From the title of the post I was expecting you to be 47 or something. Another thing to consider... if you can make money, age is irrelevent.
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    $200 question

    Not really a fair comparison. Assuming that the phone card is how you make phone calls, then one is a need and the other is a want. You replace the phone card because you have to. You don't have to double down on the concert.
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