Is Wholesale R.E. illegal?

[Jamie L.]

I've read a lot of stuff about real estate wholesale being illegal with out a licence. This is an excerpt from Havard graduate John T. Reed:
I suspect that much of what is advocated as flipping is really unlicensed brokerage. Indeed, the two actual-case-history articles I wrote about real flippers both involved real estate brokerage firms that did flipping as part of their overall activity.

I have heard gurus say words like, “You’re really just bringing a buyer and seller together.†On page 2 of Flipping Properties, the authors say, “Investors who flip houses accomplish the same basic tasks that real estate agents accomplish.†Their point is how easy it is. My point is that if you are just bringing a buyer and seller together, you are not an investor, you are a broker.

It’s not just a semantic issue. Brokers are licensed and heavily regulated. If you are engaging in brokerage without a license and without complying with the various regulations, you are breaking the law. In some states, a lawyer can broker real estate deals without getting a real estate sales or brokers license.

Also, i read elsewhere that "bird dogging" is illegal w/o a real estate liscence. Is all of this true? How can i find out?
Thanks!
~Noob