Over the Hedge

Amidst the chaos of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, one head-honcho of the financial industry has decided to turn over a new leaf. Andrew Lahde, the now-former head of California-based hedge fund Lahde Capital Management, recently quit his job despite posting gains of 870 percent over the last year.

His resignation letter reflects his disillusionment with both the financial industry and the federal government, and contains scathing criticisms of American materialism, economic deregulation, and the philosophical fortitude (or lack thereof) of our country's leaders. He states his intention to refocus his energies on personal health over personal wealth, and encourages his contemporaries -- such as George Soros -- to use their resources to heal the world rather than perpetuating problematic power structures.

Though a resignation letter is an unusual way of making a political statement, Lahde certainly goes out with a bang.  He devotes the last paragraph of his widely-publicized farewell statement to promoting hemp as an alternative food and energy source as well as paying homage to its female counterpart, marijuana. Something tells me that this man is going to have a very relaxing retirement. In any case, Lahde's bombastic farewell raises hopes that there are more financial bigwigs out there who care about expanding their minds more than expanding their wallets... if they all haven't fled already.

Image: "Wall Street subway mosaic" by epicharmus on Flickr courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing.

Images c/o Creative Commons Flickr users arimoore and antonychammond