pfc/macquarie capital makets canada terminates, page-43

As you say Newland, we seem to have hit a nerve with a lot of people - but we are not the only ones raising the issue of the ASX being a 'free for all' for one group of people but a new form of 'serfdom' for another group. Threads on this issue are turning up everywhere on HC, on various stocks (for example, EEG last week, when one single share was traded at the close, in order to achieve a lower price. Or OBL, where I have seen a similar issue raised in the last couple of weeks. Or QFX, where the same issue was raised in the past couple of weeks etc.etc.etc).
High frequency trading that has increased to mind boggling levesl in just 2 years - but which ASIC's Chairman does not feel is a problem. Insider trading that HC participants can often see - but ASIC and the ASX cannot. Directors paying themselves huge salaries and other goodies - for very little input - then asking for another capital raising etc.etc.etc.
Stocks and commodities that are being manipulated within an inch of their lives by hedge funds, stock shorters and others. Yet ironically, the leader of the free world could well be a Hedge Fund manager by the end of this year....and if oil is not the most politically manipulated commodity on earth, I do not know what is. This 'OPEC' and / or, Iran and / or, US Presidential election etc.etc.etc.

As you also noted, this 'free for all' for a selected few can be aggregated to the whole of society, in many, many ways.

It starts with leadership (or lack thereof) of the country, imo.
Politicians who cannot or do not (or both) actually lead.
The 'spin' they put on everything - "we are introducing a carbon tax because it is the right thing to do" - how many times have you heard that 'spin' lately? I thank the 'Gruen Planet' for helping me see through that 'spin', along with photo opportunities of 'Julia playing with children' - when did you last see that one? (Today, on ABC 24hours news, for me).

Deals with minority parties and individual politicians simply to retain power - regardless of the wishes of the majority, which according to opinion polls, want an election yesterday, in order to fix up this god awful mess Australia is in, due to this lack of leadership.

A stockmarket that is so out of sinc with what we are told is the 'dynamic Australian economy' that it should be a major discussion point of politicians and media - but is not. A media that would rather make a story out of some person shop lifting, than to discuss the piss poor performance of say, Superannuation funds over the last 4 years. Is this deliberate 'dumbing down' of the population, through and by the media? At least there is hope here (maybe) through the ability to research so many things online these days - to the point where newspapers will be read online now and into the future....because print media cannot deny that is how young people get their news.

So many issues I could raise ........but this would go on all night and besides, most of us know how stuffed up things are.
I rest my case. For the moment.
All the above is my personal opinion. DYOR.