Mr. Roboto

In honor of:

a) Macro Man's friend Old Guy who wrote yesterday that he sold some holdings that he'd held "since before some Macro Man commenters were born"

b) The NYSE going down for most of the day thanks to a "computer glitch"

c) United Airlines going down because of a "computer glitch"

d) the WSJ going down because of "a computer glitch"

e) China serving as a reminder that stocks can go down a lot as well as up 

Macro Man's kicking it old school today with a riff on Styx's immortal Mr. Roboto:

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto
Ichiba de fusei kōi
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto
To ningen no uwaki

You’re wondering who I am (order order, I’ve got an order)
Machine or mannequin (order order, I’ve got an order)
With parts made in Taiwan (order order, I’ve got an order)
I’m faster than a man

I’ve got an order I’ve been spamming since an hour ago
My writer human, my speed astounding, my brain Lenovo
So if you see me acting strangely, don’t be surprised
I’m just a program gone haywire, with nowhere to hide

Please keep me alive, just keep me alive
Cancel my trades, to keep me alive

I am a robot without emotions,  I’m what you can’t see
I front run people but say I provide liquidity
I’m not a hero, I am the matrix, forget what you know
About the market, just hope it don’t get beyond my control

Beyond my control, we all need control
I am out of control, we all need control

I’m faster than a man (order order, I’ve got an order)
Rely on me?  Don’t plan (order order, I’ve got an order)
The SEC can’t see (order order, I’ve got an order)
They should regulate me

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo…domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo…domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto,
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto

Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For doing the trades nobody wants to
And thank you very much Mr. Roboto
For stopping me out when that red headline fooled you
Thank you, thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you

The problem’s plain to see
Too much technology
Liquidity black hole
Machines out of control

The time has come at last (order order, I’ve got an order)
The flash crash blame is past (order order, I’ve got an order)
Now everyone can see (order order, I’ve got an order)
My true identity…
I’m Killjoy!  Killjoy!  Killjoy! Killjoy!