>>11
You're just a cynical kook who foolishly believes the markets are impossible to navigate. Your bitterness toward investing and trading make me think that you were one of the poor saps who got screwed.
It's true lots of people lose money in the stock market. But it's important to note that the people who get screwed are generally too lazy to really spend time learning about the markets and their investments. These are the people who think it's a get rich quick lottery of luck. When they lose money it's their own fault, not some old fat rich man pulling strings behind the curtain.
The housing bubble is largely a problem of bad business practices and people biting off more than they could chew. However, anyone who had investments in the housing industry could have stepped back and said, "hey maybe things are just a little too good to be true. I think I'll sell my investment and take the profit I've made so far." That's what a principled and disciplined investor would do. The "i'm a git rich real fast" investor of course believes he can ride the wave forever and is too lazy to check the market's situation or do some critical thinking. He gets screwed.
Finally, any one who isn't completely brain-dead will diversify their investments. Keeping all your money tied up in one or two industries is a great way to get wiped out. But if you're spread out and an industry goes sour, you'll be alright. People who don't diversify deserve to lose their money. Of course, when they do lose their money it's not because some evil man smoking a cigar and drinking 120 year old brandy decided he wanted to ruin someone's life that day.
btw, RC, you're sure to keep your money if you let it fester away in a savings account. But really, the interest you earn on it is shit. You're practically losing money in light of the fact that it could be earning much more than the paltry 4% your local FCU is offering. Good luck dealing with inflation, fag.