>>>>
>>>>The stock market is a piece, but not the whole of free market capitalism.
>>>>Is it rigged for professional insiders? Yes
>>>>Does the Congress trade on insider information? Yes
>>>
>>>>Can a savvy investor still make a good amount of money. Yes
>>>
>>>That is exactly the problem. If savvy amateur can 'make' money, imagine what big WS sharks are 'making'.
>>
>>Who cares? There is not a fixed pie.
>
>If assets (money) are real then it is zero sum game down the line.

Not unless that money is tied to something physical (ie gold). If it's intangible (faith and credit) then there is no zero sum.

>You winning = someone losing. MF Global 'winning' - Corzine's account holders are losing.

When MF Global was "winning" (making money) so were their account holders, now that they're "losing" so are their account holders.

>Goldman Sucks (If I made typo here pls forgive me!{g}) 'makes' money - municipal/retirement bonds/funds lose their pants. And so for.

Same principle as above. GS success is not inversely related to someone else's failure.

>But assets are not real.

Assets are as real and valuable as people make them. If I reach down and grab a handful of dirt, stick my hand out to you and say I'll give this to you for a buck. You'd place no value on it because you can do the same thing. However, if you're in an area with acrid soil and I'm in a fertile river valley, my dirt would have value to you.

>Real value has been eaten probably many years ago, and it is by now all derivatives, leveraging,
>bets on bets etc. ( Some people estimate derivatives bubble/black hole at 700T. Bail THAT out if you can! )
>Whole global financial system is one giant house of cards that can be brought down crushing - by mouse fart.
>But who cares. Just buy gold and you are on the safe side right ? {g}

Gold is a prized asset the world over, so yes, if you believe the whole world financial system is going to collapse then gold is a great the place to park your wealth. As would other tangible assets which do not rely on the intangibility of currency.