Lehman Brothers' ( LEHMQ - news - people ) disastrous march into toxic properties, are now being paid to clean up the mess they so brilliantly created.

FORBES: New Geographer

But, with a lot less hindsight, they look no sillier than many of the loans extended, underwritten, securitized, sold and bought by what were supposedly the best minds on Wall Street--undocumented mortgages, mortgages with interest but no principal payments, those for more than the value of properties and those to people with toxic credit ratings.

FORBES: Rewind

When General Growth Properties' stock fell 95% in late 2008, most investors fled it like toxic waste.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The write down needs to occur and the movement of toxic assets to the RTC at a market rate, allowing the RTC to quickly dispose of properties or renegotiate as seems best will bring stability and increased activity to the markets, including the mortgage market.

FORBES: Historically GDP Growth Is Off By 11.9% And Labor Markets Should've Already Bounced