market volatility

So the markets are going crazy. Again.

We've been overdue for a correction in the markets, and boy are we getting it.

 I wonder how much of this market volatility is due to program traders, those guys who can make million-share trades faster than you can say "shit" for a penny or two.  They can really dominate the market, pushing the regular folks to the sidelines.

I also wonder if some hidden hacking-like market manipulation is going on.  We already know that the top 1% have far more than their "share" and it wouldn't surprise me if this was just not satisfying to some of those greedy pigs. They. Want. It. All.

Or maybe it's the Russians again. Or the Chinese. Or the Iranians. Or a pimple-faced kid sitting in his basement.  Heh!  Not likely on the last one.

Or maybe capitalism is just not sustainable.

This is just great timing (read: horrible) for me and the wife, who are trying to work out retirement in the near-future.  So far in 2015 we have lost about 15% of our lifetime-to-accumulate nest egg.  At this point, we have little choice but to stay in the markets.  I note with a certain amount of suspicion that, of all of the financial pundits I have been hearing, every last one of them says, "Don't panic! Don't bail out of the market!"  I get suspicious when I hear unanimity like that.

It reminds me of the old rule in politics.  If the Republicans and Democrats totally agree on something, you can be sure the American people are about to get fucked.

Good luck, everyone. Pray if you want. It sure won't help anything. It's been fun!