The gov of NY. Blew up by not paying with cash so left a money trail. LTCM whose black box failed to note that Russia could do want ever its wants to its own currency.
from wiki: Isaac Newton, the famous physicist, lost some of his money due to speculation in The South Sea Company stock in the 1720s. Isaac Newton lost over 20,000 pounds (£1.68 million in today's money) of his fortune. As a result of this crisis, he stated "I can calculate the motions of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people".
That's so wild... I was just reminded of an Einstein quote this morning: "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." tom mcg Indy (who wonders if the increasingly constrained limits on his account means he's a genius, too...)
Lots of updates: Lehman Brothers AIG Merrill Lych Morgan Stanley Citigroup Goldman Sachs Kirk Kerkorian