http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SampP-cuts-S...f-14682896.html

Man, 16 cents a share. I should invest.

Only if you want to take a really good chance of either:

a. losing every sixteen cents you put into it OR

b. losing almost every sixteen cents you put into it.

There is a tiny chance of C:

C. Making a fortune beyond your wildest dreams.

Choice a is much much more likely than choice b at this point. If the company restructures, common stock holders are likely to receive little to nothing. If the company goes bankrupt, common stock holders are most likely to get absolutely nothing...as in lose every dime.

As to choice c, if the company somehow pulls out of this without restructuring (very unlikely), you could make a fortune. COULD, but not very likely. Only money you can safely lose all of should be considered for investing in SIX at this point.

^Though if many, many thousands did invest with hopes of option C, option C could easily be the outcome. Optimism is definitely what people need right now. Stock market has shown slight increases the end of last week and so far this week may be a sign of good things to come. Stay positive and you'll get positive results.

How so? Money used to purchase stock does NOT go to the issuing company...it goes to the seller. Companies get proceeds only of initial and new offerings, not of stock traded on the current market. A common misconception, that.

I was speaking in terms of consumer confidence. I do think that while it may not be a direct impact a rising stock price sure won't hurt the company, and perhaps could allow a greater chance of refinancing the debt which they need.