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Non-Tech : Tulipomania Blowoff Contest: Why and When will it end? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sir Auric Goldfinger who wrote (2838)	5/1/2000 12:52:00 PM
From: Mad2	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3543

Comments were quite interesting, particularly; Mr. Buffett noted the extremes in some company market valuations today. He said some companies may have a market cap of $10 billion but would be unable to borrow even $100 million if they went to the bank. Yet their individual owners could borrow 20 times that amount. Of such imbalances Mr. Buffett said, "This is as extreme as anything that has happened -- including the 20s." Mr. Munger called it the most extreme event in modern capitalism. Mr. Buffett called the current situation "precautionary to us" as professional investors. "It does not spell opportunity." But, he said, "The ability to monetize share holding ignorance has never been exceeded."

To: Sir Auric Goldfinger who wrote (2838)	5/9/2000 5:11:00 PM
From: Mad2	Respond to of 3543

Here's part of a article from WSJ Online. I deleted the first half relating to Cisco. I seem to recall getting something from SI on this.....wonder if we will have a most excluded list to go along with the most bookmarked? Who has the ability to exclude (orignator???)? Can posters be excluded after the thread has been extablished? Does this apply to new threads only? Is there a limit on the number of exclusions? Auric, I suspect you, A@P or Dear Mr. P$nk could easily rocket to the top of the most the most excluded mad2 Overheard: Talk About Cisco Dominates Stock Message Board Chatter By AARON ELSTEIN and CARRIE LEE THE WALL STREET JOURNAL INTERACTIVE EDITION Silicon Investor Gets Moderated Boards One of the chronic problems with Internet message boards is that discussions that start about stocks frequently deteriorate into spats of insults and name-calling. In an effort to minimize such conflicts and create some oversight of discussions, Silicon Investor is allowing its members to create message boards from which they can exclude anyone they want from posting. The new boards were made available to members starting last week and are quickly gaining popularity -- dozens have been created. The boards are designed to "help keep threads on-topic and relevant to the author's philosophy or intent," says Jill Munden, a Silicon Investor spokeswoman. Silicon Investor's move to keep its boards from veering off into online shouting matches comes at a time when Raging Bull (www.ragingbull.com), another popular stock-chat site is trying to rein in some of the more obnoxious chatter on its message boards. Raging Bull, which is owned in part by CMGI, the Andover, Mass., Internet-investment firm, recently increased the number of staff who respond to members' complaints of insulting or obscene messages, which are prohibited. Such messages are usually deleted and the posters face suspension or a permanent ban from using the site. While the new Silicon Investor boards allow some oversight of its usually free-for-all chat forums, the creators don't get to control what's posted and cannot delete messages. But already, they are sparking some concern in a world where any sort of restrictions on speech are frowned upon. Some members of Silicon Investor, owned by Go2Net in Seattle, fear that people who wish to post something a moderated board's ringleader doesn't want to hear, such as legitimate criticism about stocks, will be shut out. The boards could also make it easier for unscrupulous stock promoters to ply their trade -- hyping stocks and duping unsuspecting investors. "My concern is the moderated boards will be filled with cheerleaders and others with the same point of view," says Jack Hartmann, a frequent Silicon Investor poster from North Aurora, Ill. Mr. Hartmann says "these developments will be worth watching." However, Ms. Munden says, moderated boards will be clearly identified. Investors who have concerns about the fairness of the discussions could still avoid those boards and stick to the site's regular discussion forums, where any paying member can post messages and debate issues until their hearts are content. The moderated boards already have generated support forums on Silicon Investor. Two of the most popular message boards on Silicon Investor are "Mediation for the Banned" and "To Be or Not To Be," where members can discuss what it's like to be kicked off a moderated board. Write to Aaron Elstein at aaron.elstein@wsj.com and Carrie Lee at carrie.lee@wsj.com