Bear-Stearn's stock was like $147 last year, it was $30 a share Friday, and they are being bought out at $2 a share. Everyone who had stock in that company, including their employees 401(k) plan has lost their retirement. Them going belly up hurts people, not just the now not so rich bankers. Even at $2 a share, that is nothing for a $100 stock. In the government bail-out, the FHA becomes the owners of the mortgages. What are they going to do when people default, own a lot of property? The ARM mortgages are not worth it. This company owned a lot of those.