as an independent trader through the crisis (and now), i can relate to the debilitating stress of watching the financial system unwind.  the enormity of the trades these fools made and make still astounds me, and it&#x27;s all a product of lazy &#x2F; greedy regulators.  that kind of leverage can&#x27;t result in anything long-run outside of short term over-compensation and incentive to over bet, leaving the country and the world to pick up the pieces.<p>all of this started when investment banks were allowed to raise public money.  if they were still private partnerships, you wouldn&#x27;t see near the reckless risk taking we did and do.