Swordsman,
I take it by your last post that you question my motives for asking a seemingly innocent question. My question to Martin is quite genuine, in fact, I asked the same question to him privately a few months ago.
You have twice correctly pointed out that I am a Canadian, but you incorrectly assume that it is easier for me to short a BB stock. Let me enlighten you. I have made and lost a lot of money in the market. I stick mainly with large cap stocks for the bulk of my portfolio. I will from time to time make small bets on longshot stocks like TSIG.
One of the basic rules in investing is to never, ever short a stock below $5. My last score was on Analog Devices ( ADI ) ( see post #1130 on Oct. 31/98 ) with calls on a $9.00+ move. Why in God's earth would anyone risk shorting a potentionally explosive stock to make .30 or .40 cents?!!! And even if some suicidal idiot did want to short, his firm's loan post dept. would have to OK the short, provided there was offsetting inventory on the books, not at all a likely scenario on a BB stock with a small float with a Canadian broker.
To suggest I have a hidden "short" agenda is not only an insult to my intelligence, but to yours as well. Be that as it may, I have a Very small position in TSIG, but I will not add to it, or put my clients in it, until I get a better feel on this.
Yes, there was a hint of sarcasm on my first post, but it certainly wasn't directed at any of the participants here who have put in a lot of work into their DD for all to see. I just get a kick out of investors who come up with wild, unreasonable, arbitrary price targets over short specific time frames like they can "will" a share price to go up.
If Mr. Frankel tells us that this is of the most potentially interesting situations he has seen in a long time, fine. I will listen to what he has to say. If someone else says TSIG will hit $3.85 by Feb 13th, then I will take him somewhat less seriously.
All threads that follow spec stocks going nowhere have a few common elements. One is that anyone with a dissenting view or who appears the least bit skeptical is either flamed or accused of being a short.
I sincerely hope for all your sakes that Swordman's suspicion of my motives is not shared by most bulls on this thread. I look forward to intelligent dialogue here, devoid of bravado or testosterone. Hoping this is not too much to ask.
Always lurking and somewhat long
Gene Piccoli |
