"I don't think most people really understand the mechanics of going short, the borrowing....margin requirements, covering.  I ask people who invest all the time if they can explain how short selling works and more often than not I'm hit with the simplistic explanation that its a "bet" that a stock is going to drop.  When I ask for details on how one takes out a short position.....crickets most of the time."

Hummmmmmmm....wot are you smoking Led??,,,,,,investors dont understand what shorting is about and the mechanics around it,,,,,,,,,,,geeeze,,,,,,,you pick the stock you think is heading down in price,,,,,sell to open,,,,,,and when you want to get out you buy to close,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,what is difficult about that??????,,,,,,,,,,,, I think you are vastly underestimating the retail investor,,,,,,,good grief Charlie Brown,,,,,,,,jmo