Rabble Babble.(Internet postings regarding the acquisition of American Water Works by German utility RWE AG)(Brief Article)

Byline: Stacy Mosher

The news never rests, and nowhere is it busier than on the Internet bulletin boards. This column excerpts the choicest messages on the latest deals. Postings are selected from several sources, including Yahoo!, Raging Bull, Motley Fool and Silicon Investor.

Disclaimer: Board postings are entirely the product of their authors, and The Deal assumes no responsibility for the veracity or accuracy of their content.

Sentiment on the Internet boards began to turn against an acquisition that puts an American utility in foreign hands.

German utility RWE AG had announced Monday that it would buy American Water Works (AWK) for $4.6 billion plus $3.0 billion in debt, or about $46 per share. American Water Works, based in Voorhees, N.J., is the country's largest publicly traded water company, and operates in 23 states.

It was the first acquisition to be announced after the terrorist attacks on September 11. The earliest posters on Yahoo!'s American Water board had expressed approval of the sale, which brought them a 36.5% premium on their stock.

But over the following days …