I have to say that it is exasperating waiting for the eventual change in the way the financial world works.

I've been patiently sitting back, secure in the knowledge that every extra share I buy in ECU at .50 odd cents is an investment opportunity I could have only dreamed about 2 years ago. It has always felt a bit like buying a Porsche for the price of a VW and worrying that someone might find out that they priced it wrong and reverse the sale on you at any moment. Like I have been getting away with something... and in the real world, the fair play world I have.

However, while patiently sitting and preaching, I have watched RBoS shareholders nearly triple their money in less than 6 months because the bank 'made a profit' (how they work that one out I'll never understand). Shareholders of UBS more than doubled their money despite the bank being at the heart of the disaster and still loosing billions! Shareholders of Credit Suisse are up 2.5x their investment from March this year! (Although admittedly they are a much better bank). Meanwhile, other than a brief blip at the start of production we've barely moved in the last six months. So basically if I had sold my ECU in March, scooped up a bunch of stinky shares in banks which were only still around as they had been propped up... I'd be really well off now. What would I own? Uh... loads of shares in falsely created optimism? Super.

At the risk of sounding a bit preachy, I honestly think I'm doing the 'right thing' here, but not necessarily the 'best thing' for my personal finances. I just read an article written by some consultant (with a bad case of management speak by the way) where he details how honesty and integrity are different. That's b#lls. Sorry but it is. I love the way those who do things dishonestly attempt to hide their weak morals through advancing our language beyond recognition. There is nothing "ethical" or "fair" about investing in failed businesses and being saved through intervention and borrowing from future generations.

I think in the end, our investments here will prove to be very wise, but the wait is a killer. The saving grace for me is my good old-fashioned conscience. I feel good about ECU... at least if I do fail here, I can look my boys in the eyes and say it was an honest loss from an investment based on sound facts.