Trading Block: Special guest Andrew Giovinazzi of Aqumin takes Sebastian's seat as the all-star gang discusses market madness. The market has become quite the drama queen with global concerns smack the market again. Consumer confidence is still low – this is getting to be a broken record. Commodities rundown – gold and treasuries are where everyone is putting their money. Patent lust has been inflating some smaller tech stocks like NOK, EK, etc. Odd Block: Unusual activities in Seagate Technology (STX), New York Times Co. (NYT) and NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) Xpress Block: What's been going on behind the scenes at optionsXpress – today was one of those outlier days. Around the Block: The patent wars continue to drive activity in the tech sector ? watch your upside. Niche names like CBOE should be faring well in the environment, not following the market down – perhaps there may be some opportunity in the downside? Also, a VIX outlook for the next few sessions.

TRADING BLOCK Google (GOOG) acquires MMI, which explains some of their strange trading patterns recently. Were rumors leaked out ahead of time? A rundown of GLD, SLV, and commodities. The price of gold – is it realistic? INTERVIEW BLOCK This week's guest, Russell Rhoads, author and instructor at Options Institute at the CBOE discusses his newest book "Trading VIX Derivatives," as well as hedging VIX options. AROUND THE BLOCK Housing start numbers come out tomorrow and jobless claims come out August 18 – will they move the market significantly. Who’s next after MMI? RIMM? NOK?

Trading Block: An overview of Vix performances for the last week. Is everything rosy again? Treasury auction came out very weak. Jobless claims numbers rallied. Odd Block: Unusual activity in Cisco (CSCO), Asiainfo Holdings Inc. (ASIA) and OmniVision Technologies Inc. (OVTI).Xpress Block: Mr Navabi walks us through what it was like to be at the center of the madness this week at OX.Mail Block: From Tom S, in Cleveland: Does OX offer IRAs? Can you use naked short puts to leg into long equity positions in an OX IRA account?Strategy Block: Uncle Mike Tosaw discusses a cash and hedge secured, unlevered bull put spreadAround the Block: Not too much in the way of earnings. What's the outlook for weekend risk?

Trading Block: A fractured round table discusses the bloodbath following the S&P's downgrading of the US credit rating, including Motorolla (MMI), LinkedIn (LNKD) and Apple (AAPL) Around the Block: Will the sell off continue? Tomorrow may not be the rebound the most people were looking for.

For your listening pleasure – the Banter Block from Episode 80 that hit the cutting room floor. Topics on tap: SPX, VIX, covered calls vs. ratio repair spreads and more…

Trading Block: The Bloodbath Begins! Jobless claim records much weaker than expected, getting closer to the Tosaw apocalypse, CBOE takes a hit despite good earnings. Plus Ford, LinkedIn and VIX skew. Metals/Commodities rundown Xpress Block: Mr Navabi runs through a list of interesting/unusual/common/annoying questions received on by Options Express. Also, what to do when facing margin calls.Around the Block: Overnight futures – to buy or not to buy? Is LinkedIn a sign of a turnaround in the market? Will Non Farms add to the bloodbath?

Trading Block: The debt kerfuffle reaches the 11th hour. How ugly could it really get if there is no deal? A rundown of [[[[meta]]]]l and oil commodities. Odd Block: Unusual activity in Sonus Networks (SONS), Cable Vision Systems (CVC), Cavium Inc. (CAVM)Xpress Block: Beware of tech IPOs…Mail Block: Mr. Rob Kurzatkowski from the OX dives into questions submitted by listeners. Around the Block: Life after the potential "Tosaw" apocalypse, if a deal is not reached by Tuesday. CEBO, RDN, and Testla Motors earnings, as well as LinkedIn (LNKD)