Hello Frank: I am in the habit of printing out the summary (heading) listings from the thread anyway, so I took thos from the recent days with me on the plane. I ended up spending virtually the entire time, using a yellow marker on them, highlighting things which interested me.
''''' I found myself more then a little sad, at the number of "fights" which go on. For one reason, I do believe that it is unnecessary, and that secondly (and more importantly) that it keeps some lurkers with good ideas, entirely off the thread.
''''' On the other hand, I don't really know of any way to "police" these fights, and probably the more I think about it, the fights are equally deserving of space---freedom of speech etc...
''''' Could one call it a heavy debate style? Also, I appreciate your periodic efforts, to smooth things over. Then (it is funny to watch) you also get drawn into your own fights!!! Or you perhaps you are just really ticked off at something.
'''''But there is something about the "crash and burn" syndrome, which bothers me. I guess I feel that fewer crashes and burns might be O.K. with me. But this would have some people moderate their periodic extreme positions.....so there you go.
'''''Personally, I have been very angry at myself for not stopping my margin system, when I had $1,120,000 actually in the account! (Plus I had taken out $250,000 during the year, to suppost various inner city projects.)And furthermore, the system I had, may not be safe the way I was using it. But give me a break; I was experimenting with a technique, on my own money. (I also manage money for friends, using a very moderated version of the same margin technique, and their returns have been very steady, and with little or none of the stress and anxiety it takes to do mine.)
'''''I have been very withdrawn---thinking about these things.
'''''Would you please post me with the information for the gathering tonight, near or at the airport? I am trying to quiet the storms in my head, long enough to really be there. After all, one of the things I am for, is that persons get to know each other, even outside of the thread.
'''''I am also trying to understand what "posting" does to my head. I think the act of posting, puts me mentally in a defensive posture. That is, I lose alot of my logical skills, and it becomes an ego centered defensive experience.
'''''For example, margin, if used in moderation, is truly a way to enhance returns. But to have a public discussion about this, would drain me. I just simply can not allow myself to be drained this way, because my energy is needed to focus on making money, for the persons I care about etc. I definitely will back way away from margin, but it is NOT "totally out the window". All I see on the thread about margin, is periodically people will mention that they use it (I believe William B. still uses it---I guess that's what the still present $20 million loan is for.) And I believe that Voltaire uses it also. Off hand, I don't know of who else. I suspct that Buy and Hold does not have to be without even the smallest amount of margin.
'''''I would like to see an intelligent discussion comparing the annualized returns from options strategies (persons like chuzz and edamo and martini talk about "setting" their options positions "without needing further adjustments", for annualized returns of say, 15% as far as I can tell.)
'''''Well I tell you, if the only thing "wrong" with my margin technique is that when I hit high figures---I need to STOP---well if that is the "problem" I have, then i will work on that as a separate "personal" problem. When the stock was 108 or whatever, I could have walked away with $1.4 million before taxes, for one year's work. The fact that I did not stop, is one of the things I am examining.
'''''I am going to copy tim, voltaire, freeus, don martini,granola,kennth and darlene aird,dr-detail,tiger paw, donnie, edamo, michelle, trufflette, rosemary,mo,and annette m. with this via PM because I want to make sure they receive it.
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