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Commentary - Mar 19, 2006 - Printable Version
- Everybody Out of the Pool!!
by Phil L. West
Let me start out by saying that this is not a story that has taken place anywhere but the confines of my own vivid imagination. While the analogy made here will certainly seem to imitate actual events, this is only one mans opinion of how things work. I will make no accusations, but at the very least, I hope this raises new questions and a fresh way to look at this issue. Do you like to swim? I sure do, so imagine my interest peeking when I heard about this vast pool owned by the DTCC. Not only is this pool big and deep, but my understanding was that this is where you go to hang out with the movers and shakers. In talking with some investor friends of mine, I got directions to this pool, and headed on my way.
As I was driving along, I thought about how I might be able to gain access to this pool area. Realizing that this was involved in this big financial family, I put on my “Small Investor” t-shirt, thinking this would do the trick.
I drove for what seemed like a hundred miles, and I passed thru many different kinds of scenery. I saw lots of burned out buildings and run down neighborhoods along the way, and these areas would easily make a giant urban city all their own. Who are these poor people, this looks as if it used to be a thriving community, but now looks it had been purposely attacked. The scenery began to change drastically though when I began getting close to the pool. I thought to myself, this is more like it. If the Big Money really frequents this place, then I should be seeing mansions with manicured lawns, and expensive cars in every driveway.
Finally, I pulled into the parking area, and I could not believe the size of the wall that surrounded this place. I thought, man this pool must be humongous, because the walls were built like a fortress. Since my car was not nearly as nice as most, I parked way in the rear of the lot, and walked slowly to the main entrance.
As I approached the giant wrought Iron gate, I noticed nobody was around to let me in. I could see people walking around the courtyard, but nobody was paying any attention to my voice. I decided that I drove too far to turn back now, so I proceeded to look for another way in. I went around the side, and I saw a dark tinted glass door.
I approached the door, and I saw these words: “MM Scuba Gear Shoppe” Hours of Operation: Pre-Market to Post-Market. I grabbed the door handle, and the door was open. I walked in, and this indeed was a large, fully outfitted dive shoppe. There was a man to greet me on my way in, so I stopped to ask him a question. I said the door says your hours of operation are Pre-Market to Post-Market. What does that mean? The man had a smug smile on his face, and he looked at me and chuckled out “Oh, We never close”. I was really starting to wonder just how deep this pool must be. I continued on past the man, and saw that this was a way to gain entry to the courtyard. On my way by the counter, there was a sign that said: Scuba gear is free to use for all our esteemed members. Please give us your dive count on the way out. With that, I started out to the courtyard.
I was in a star struck state of mind with the faces of those around me. Lots of people - Yes, but crowded – NO. This place was even more monstrous than the stories I had heard.
The money it must have taken to construct such a place was far beyond my comprehension. Where in the world did they get the money to build this small city. I was feeling a little out of place, but I ventured ahead.
I looked across the pool area, and realized that I was surrounded by walls stretching to the sky on every side. The far wall had huge letters saying: “Welcome to the DTCC Pool. We are Drowning the Counterfeit Conspiracy (DTCC) one shareholder at a time”. That seems a little grim, but the mood of people around me was as though they had all just hit the biggest lottery in US history. I was really wishing I had brought another shirt with me now. I am not feeling at all welcome here. Still, I came for a swim, and that exactly what I intended to do.
I went and found a chair to place my belongings on, and kicked off my thongs (and yes, by that I mean flip flops). I turned towards the pool, and noticed some serious commotion coming from the far corner. I saw a small bunch of people all herded together along one wall. In the corner of the pool, I saw at least 6 or 7 different scuba divers surface. Someone shouted next, and all of the sudden, two huge guys grabbed one of the people from the group. They poked and prodded him towards the pool. At first I thought this was some sort of game, but the one being pushed did not appear to be having any fun. The closer he got to the edge, the louder the laughter became. One guy yelled: “Jump in, its safe” and another said “yeah the waters fine”. I could finally make out the writing on this gentleman’s shirt, and it said, ”Small Business Owner”. He looked at me with an apologetic look, but helpless none the less. I recognized him. He is the owner of one of the companies I had invested in just days earlier.
I ran up to the edge of the pool to try and get a better look at what was happening. The man was finally teetering on the edge of the pool, and then he was violently shoved head first down into the water. Immediately, the scuba divers pounced on his body like a hungry school of piranhas. They began diving straight down. I looked to see how far they were gonna go, but I could not see the bottom of the pool anywhere. Soon enough, they were gone from my sight, and so was that poor man.
There has got to be somebody here to help him, so I waved my hands frantically to get anybody’s attention. Finally, I spotted one lone SEC (See’Em Crooks) Lifeguard stand. I ran as fast as I could, and began yelling up to the lifeguard. I knew he could hear me, but he just kept staring off in the opposite direction. I was screaming “aren’t you here to protect us”, but I wasn’t getting anywhere. I decided that I was going to take a more aggressive approach, before it was too late. I began yelling even louder and smacking him on the shins. I was quoting to him his responsibility to protect us, and he only grew more angry.
All of the sudden he lunged to his feet, and peered out towards the commotion. Finally, I had gotten thru to this guy. He sees the problem. “ Go Get’em” I exclaimed, but then he turned instead and gazed at me. His bulging eyes pierced thru me with a look of contempt and disgust. I could tell that he was in disbelief that I would disturb him for this. He shouted “you insignificant little gnat, how dare you come in here! Who let you in?”
I continued on. “Look at those people drowning”. “Many are being dragged down to the depths, but only a few are able to resurface.” “When are you going to step in and save them?”
He got right back in my face and said ”why would I want to do that?” “Look all around you, these are my friends.” “They pay the bills to keep this place running, and I enjoy the perks…What could be better?”
I knew I had to run for my life at that point. I was yelling as I ran back towards the scuba shoppe “Everybody Out Of The Pool!”, and I burst out the door. I may not be welcome on the inside, but I am going to warn as many as possible on the outside. The sad part was that I knew it was probably too late for those already herded around the pool, but I was gonna tell anyone else that would listen: Do Not Go In The Water. The pool has no bottom, and what you cannot see, will indeed hurt you…
Editor's note: This commentary is reprinted by permission from http://www.americaneedstoknow.com/
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