"Because, after all, if someone loses big in a world where every possible bet has been covered, that just means that someone else is winning big, and it all evens out."

Has this fellow ever heard of the great depression? That would be an example of where almost everyone, save a small group, lost big.

If I had not been a longtime intimate of one of these hedge fund heads, I might be inclined to believe that this method of making money must be legitimate as why would they be getting away with carting off that much cash? Since I was and know this man and some of his compatriots to be thieves and sociopaths, I can tell you, we are in serious trouble.

The influence that hedge funds have bought is mind-boggling. Between their lobbying efforts, the money in which they donate to the campaigns of various politicians, the cover that their rich investors provide and the millions of dollars they spend on public relations who manipulate our press, these people are and will continue to be untouchable, until which time they are either convicted of fraud or manipulation or their machinations create a crash.

Some of these people are CRAZY with a capital C. That their investors are so rich that the government need not imply regulations is a ridiculous excuse not to impose them. If they were playing in their own sandbox, that would be fine. But they're not. They're trading the same markets in which the rest of our citizens have their retirement funds and pensions invested. They are trading the companies that we work for and buy from.

They move markets without an iota of regulation, immune from the regulation that are imposed on mutual funds and other investment vehicles. Unlike mutual funds and other traditional securities vehicles, hedge funds prosper the greatest with the highest volatility. Would it be such a leap to entertain the idea that they artificially create volatility?

Would it be so preposterous as to think that they jump on and off positions in tandem to create the intended effect both on the up and the down side? Does anyone really believe that these billions upon billions are being made honestly? Think again. Look a little closer at these people. Wolfes article, The Pirate Pose, offers some observations about the way in which these people conduct themselves. They're vulgar, classless and completely disregard all social mores, is it so hard to believe that some of these people may be thieves also?

Some of the most influential players are status-seeking, abusive little father-hungry putzes, clawing their way to the top by methods that will eventually destroying our economy. When that finally happens, it will be no great loss to them.They're neither patriots nor sentimentalists. They'll board their private planes and go off to the countries in which they can live off of the offshore monies they add to daily. As they fly off, they will leave the rest of us in the dust, fleeced, without resources and broke.

I can only hope that the Democratic candidates that are basically keeping mum about the question of hedge funds, will make the necessary changes on every level, should they win the presidency. If not, I predict that before the next presidential term ends, before that four years have come and gone, our country will have also.

Think depression, think BIG depression and don't ever say you were never warned.