Excellent post. You said just how it is these days. "Lightining fast machines" and IMO,this is pure white collar crime and the authorities seem powerless,perhaps understaffed and perhaps not up to speed on what just goes on. Greed,Greed,Greed . It seems us little retailers only do a bit better with our trades when the upward momemtum is there and the powerful want the respective shares to run. When they want to step it down and "take" our shares ,they do it easily it seems,kicking in stop orders that surprise the regular guys like us. Sure some retail investors have the time and have developed the skills to day trade and "short" and they seem to do well,but IMO,these are not a large percentage of retailers. Many times I feel like taking my money out when i am ahead and never opening my trades again. And there are many of my friends feeling the same way.