An article on the lackluster stock market has a couple of items of interest in it.

The key one, buried deep in the article:

"Software giant Microsoft Corp was under the microscope again after the European Commission expanded its investigation to look into whether the U.S. software giant is illegally tying its Media Player to its Windows operating system. Microsoft fell $2.85 to $57.40."

Yet another step in the constant attempt to annihilate Microsoft both for its success, and for its blasphemy in assuming that it could get by without paying proper financial and other homage to the all-powerful government.

The Democrats are insisting that the attack on Microsoft had nothing to do with the economic downturn, but evidence suggests otherwise. Microsoft stock began plummeting at the end of 1999. In March of 2000, the rest of the tech stocks followed it down. No one in the industry has any illusions about which domino was the first to fall, and who pushed it over.

The other key item:

"Network computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc. helped kick off the selling in the high-tech sector with a downbeat outlook amid sluggish Japanese and European sales.



The high-tech heavyweight's forecast, as well as a bleak outlook for the optical fiber and cable sector from industry giant Corning Inc., heightened investors' worries about when corporate profits will recover.

'Things get gloomier and gloomier, and today you can point the finger at Sun Microsystems and Corning,' said Hugh Johnson, chief investment officer at First Albany Corp. ... Sun Microsystems said it stands to lose money this quarter after Japanese and European sales failed to meet expectations amid sluggish economic growth. Sun -- the most heavily traded on the Nasdaq -- fell $2.48 to $10.95."



Sun Microsystems, one of the loudest voices cheering and urging the attackers on while Microsoft was being furiously battered by the government these past few years, may now be realizing that you don't knock down the main pillar without the roof falling on your own head. Maybe another reading of Atlas Shrugged would be appropriate in Sun's corner offices.

And, although not mentioned in the article, Netscape, another company that howled for Microsoft's blood, is not doing so hot either.

Still, as someone who has quite a few tech stocks in his SEP-IRA, I'm not enjoying this nearly as much as I thought I would.