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To: Lane3 who wrote (2359)	9/15/2001 5:51:24 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 51711

I am sorry to disagree with you on this. Selling short is the act of BUYING stocks--basically at market value at a future date. It does not MAKE the stocks go up. It does not MAKE them go down, except to the degree that one accepts copycatism as a "market force" in a free economy. The order of buying and selling is not important. The buying and selling anticipate movement. If they could cause it, we would all be rich. It is very risky selling short. The events which people use in their considerations follow the same principles now as at any other time. Buying a company that will go bankrupt is stupid. Selling a company that will go to the moon is stupid. Rather--both choices are guesses...and they are part of the crap-shoot that IS the stock market. Patriotic donations can be made to safeway or a thousand other places for those who wish to limit their charitable donations. The stock market is a business. Those who make a profit will be able to donate a bit more to the war effort--or one would hope. Tomorrow, some will sell short--and some will buy long. Both are hoping to make a profit. Hopefully both have already donated their time, effort, or money to the horrible exigencies of this week.] Investing is a long term procedure. To short anything at this point of market lows requires far more guts or faith than I am capable of embracing. But good luck to those who are guessing that they can flip in and out of a market at book value over the next several months. Free market forces will find the value of companies within the perceived probabilties that guide the player. Many of them stand to increase beyond belief if certain scenarios play out. But NOBODY can choose an action tomorrow that is anything beyond a gamble and a risk. I will watch.