of these big hedge funds parading as investment banks in walk stre wall street. the main street banks were safe. the money market funds were 3.8 trillion in size. the only thing that left the money market industry was 60 billion dollars, a couple of percent. what really happened is money went from one account to another from so-called prime accounts to government accounts. it s the only thing that happened. so no user would have lost money but why was this such a big stake? because when it went out of the prime accounts that could own commercial paper, all of a sudden, general electric couldn t easily fund its commercial paper. its interest rates went up like it s supposed to in the free market. guess what? jeff immelt says i m in trouble here and interest rates are going up, do something. they froze the commercial paper money. jeff immelt was a good friend