Couldn't agree more here. I've been "off the brokers now for 2 years" and I'm proud to say I'm doing quite well. See the movie "Boiler Room" - believe it or not, I actually think it's too tame for what really goes on with these morons (my apologies to the former brokers here).
These guys are still paid to push stocks with ulterior motives (investment banking relationships, etc.)and the ones that aren't are so scared to make any recommendations that they pass on wonderful words of wisdom such as "I would dollar cost average into a mix of growth, Int'l, bonds, etc" which isn't a bad strategy but why should I pay one of these clowns to regurgitate Investment 101.
If you have enough to invest, the good Hedge Funds are by far the best thing going right now along with people like Zeev and a very small handful of others that are probably better than most guys running BILLION DOLLAR MUTUAL FUNDS OR PENSION FUNDS!!!!!