The times we live in

Used to be that the US was king of the world, had a large trade surplus, was the manufacturing mecca. Emerging markets were less than nascent. Europe was economically "bogged down" by social structures that make life better for its citizens. (Heaven forfend...).

Enter the "free markets can do no wrong" folks, the end of Glass-Steagall, and the subsequent colossal crash, that was first financial and then economic.

Now we're left trying to pick up the pieces.

More than I can ever remember, the economy and the value of your investments is in the hands of a relatively few people, like Geithner, Trichet, Bernanke, the capi of the Chinese economafia, and complete moronic tools like the members of the US congress who answer to the thoroughly devoid-of-brains "Tea Party".

What an irony that what the free-marketeers have found themselves left with is a huge dependence on the whims of govt. officials.

This makes investing more about mindreading and crystal-balling than picking good companies at reasonable prices. Not good.