If at first you don't succeed, quit at once!
Thank you for reporting your personal trading strategy and its results. I learn a lot from the self-revelations of many like you on this thread.
(1) I agree with your assessment regarding this manipulated market. Powerful voices like augieboo and mlsoft probably agree with you, too, if I read them correctly.
(2) So why are you still hanging in there on the short side? Even Bernie Schaeffer, who has been strongly bearish, has turned bullish for the short run. He says: "My scenario calls for a huge surge in bullishness as this market continues to climb in December . . ." His guess is that the rally will spend itself by mid-January, followed by a major downturn, once most of the sideline money has been sucked in.
(3) I, too, am down. I've lost almost 10% of the capital in my trading account in JPM puts. What did I do wrong? I stayed in too long. I should have gotten out when I was down only 3 or 4%. I should have practiced what I preach, in line one, above. What did I do right? In spite of my enthusiasm, and even though I expected to make a killing, I did not allocate more than 10% of my risk capital (my small gamble fund) to JPM options.
Just trying to be helpful. My best wishes to you on this day of Thanksgiving.
Market Data 
Markets 
