Forum Post: Overheard at a Wall Street Trading Desk

"The expressway to easy profits on a day-in, day-out basis is old-fashioned pump-and-dump algorithms. I love the word "algorithm". Eyes glaze over immediately when people hear that fucking word. It's like swinging a watch in front of someone's face They should only know that algorithms are nothing more than simple software routines that a high-school dropout with half-a-brain can easily put together in his most inebriated state. Fortunately, investment banks hire guys like us with advanced business degrees and computer skills to run their proprietary trading desks. It gives the appearance that we are savvy market traders who have an uncanny ability to discern the prospects of the companies we trade. Our real skill, however, is knowing how to juke investors out of a few pennies in high volume 24/7. We are world-class rainmakers. Our cheerleaders over at CNBC think we are geniuses. We are the 0.1% and we are kicking ass. The 99.9% can jam it."