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Non-Tech : The Critical Investing Workshop -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: elpolvo who wrote (10188)	3/31/2000 7:47:00 PM
From: Clappy	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 35685

Battle Scars. That is what this Week has given me. Battle Scars. That is what this Month has given me. Battle Scars... Last year I survived Nasdaq boot camp coming out at times with less than I started. Sometimes it sucked the wind out of me, but I learned what was necessary to survive on the battle field. It taught me to think quickly, and to fight without emotions. I watched fortunes made and fortunes lost. With each loss, I felt I learned enough to make it feel worthwhile. 1999 had was a long summer where I was schooled in reconnisance. I was promoted from Private up to the ranks of Corporal because of my bravery under fire and ability to find flanks around the outside of the enemy Federated Army. That is where I could then get a better view of the battle field and guide some of my fellow soldiers through. These had been the wargames to provide me the training I needed to attack while dodging bullets and oncoming fire from General Greenspan's War Machine. In early October I was called to join the ranks of the big boys. It was easy. I marched along the rear and plowed through the countryside staking claims to what ever spoils were left over. It was a simple job. In December it became incredibly simple as the enemy was constantly on the retreat. In the past, our Allies known as the Dow were always lagging, but we some how managed to help bring them along. They were a group of older veterans who continually tried to give direction to the youthful Naz commandos. Eventually the Dow could not keep up to the energetic Nasdaq. This disturbed many of the leaders of the Dow. They secretly decided to join sides with the General's Federated Army, and to help plot a plan of destruction to undermine our strength. They wanted to take away our key positions that we had risked so much for to establish as our own. In January they made an offensive against us. The two armies had disengaged from each other and a full blown war had erupted. We fought hard and eventually won the first battle. We saw how the new lines were being drawn. This was to be a whole new game for us. Luckily for my comrads and I, we were under the supervision of Sergeant Tom Voltaire. When you look into the eyes of Voltaire you can see he has that million mile stare. He looks through you. He's lived through many battles and has learned a lot from each one. He knows his enemy inside and out. He's seen nearly every trick in the book and is well versed in the various war strategies. He tried his hardest to explain to me what I was going to be in for, as the mortar shells began falling. I heard what he told me and I thought I understood what he was saying... It is clear to me now that I hadn't a clue. I've learned now what real battle is like. Three weeks ago I had been out on a successful mission to scout out a new territory in the Biotechs. We easily took the beach and the huge land mass was ours. Little did I know what I was in for. I soon was to get a hint of how clever The Fed Army was. As my buddies and I sat around celebrating our tremendous victory, with out warning the President of The United States and The Prime Minister of G.B. declared war on our new found island. Mortar shells came flying from every direction. We were hit from all sides in a blind ambush. Panic and smell of blood filled the air. We were totally caught off guard. There was nothing to do but dig in and wait for reinforcements. A few of us were able to tunnel our way out the High Tech Mainland. He spread the word of what was happening. No sooner than one week later the bombs started dropping. They took out some of the smaller territories but we fought back hard with all we had. We drove them back a little, so we thought... The clever minds of the Fed Army had drawn us in to get a closer shot at the enemy. We had pulled our munition storage closer to the line of fire to fight back harder. They lured us right into their trap... All of a sudden our top generals like Two Star Abby Joeseph and several others betrayed us and ran to the side of the enemy. Little did we realize the Abby Jo was merely a well placed chess piece from the Dow Houses. Soon their was descention among the troups. We were being hit with a ton of heavy arsenal. The sky was lit up with mortar shells and smart weaponry of mass destruction. Many of us were captured. Some of the unsuspecting deserted us and followed the Dow Army to safety. Sergeant Voltaire gathered his group of battered but undaunted soldiers and explained to them what to expect and asked them to try to dig in and ride it out. The Dow and Fed would soon run out of ammunition. As the bombs began to silence yesterday towards evening, I began to feel the end was near. I loaded myself up with as much ammunition as I could carry. I proceeded to march on and planned my trail into the enemy front lines under the darkness of night fall. In the early hours I made a few calculated attacks on margin reserve. I hit hard with almost every thing I had. All was working according to plan until 9:30 AM this morning. The bombs began dropping again and again. I was getting hit by pieces of shrapnel. I fell to the ground and said a few prayers as I lay bleeding. An enemy soldier saw me laying there. His cold eyes stared at me and a devilish smile began to raise up from his top lip. He raised the butt of his rifle and pressed it hard against my throat. As he pressed down, I could feel the my heart racing as I gasped for precious air... Suddenly the sound of friendly fire began dropping. The Calvary was on it's way! My enemy was caught off guard. As he raised his gun to fire, I kicked him with all I had in the stomach. Then as he turned to run I jumped to my feet and pulled out the last of my reserves and began firing at the bastard! Air filled my lungs again! I yelled a victory cry that could be heard for miles! I lived to see another day! Next time I will be better prepared! I'll keep a few more clips of ammo handy. I've learned a lot from this battle. I'm beginning to develop that million mile stare. We all are. Congratulations to all who are still surviving! ...Battle Scars... -Corporal Clappy of Voltaire's Elite Comandos, US NASDAQ. OoohRah! P.S. Let's say some prayers tonight for those who didn't make it out... P.P.S. I know it's a corny story, but war does strange things to a person... Who is ready to party?!