the bear market in equities that should have started in 2000 with the crash of the NASDAQ was averted by some very heavy-handed manipulation

“should have started” ? Huh? Are you kidding me ?

Did someone miss the worst bear market in a generation ?

The S&P 500 (broad index) declined by about 48% in the ~36 month bear market from March 2000- March 2003.

This is rivaled in the past HALF-CENTURY by one other similar Bear market. A 48% decline in the S&P 500 from January 1973 to December 1974. That was nearly a 24-month bear market.