"The idea of having a huge ONE TIME short term gain, and then paying estimated taxes the following year as if you are going to have those same gains every year ...sickens me. its a scam."
You don't have to pay estimated taxes the next year if it was a ONE TIME gain. If you normally make $100,000 a year and then hit it big and make $500,000 in 2011 you don't have to pay estimated taxes in 2012 that assumes you'll make that again. If you go back down to $100,000 in 2012 you'll be fine as long as you paid the taxes on it.
Now, if you happen to hit it big in 2012 as well then you'll see some nice penalties if you didn't pay estimated taxes on roughly 90% (i forget exactly) of 2011 income.
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