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Technology Stocks : Compaq -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: john smith who wrote (23232)	3/24/1998 8:49:00 AM
From: Sasha	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 97611

08:39 [CPQ,TAN] COMPAQ COMPUTER STARTS SHIPMENTS OF PRESARIO PCS TO RADIOSHACK.

To: john smith who wrote (23232)	3/24/1998 10:26:00 AM
From: robbie	Respond to of 97611

John, if you play your cards right I think you can average up to 40. Robbie

To: john smith who wrote (23232)	3/24/1998 11:42:00 AM
From: James F. Hopkins	Respond to of 97611

John; To average down a short position is one of the most self defeating styles of investing. It only works about 10% of the time..90% walk into a trap. If your a bear on any stock not just CPQ..and go short remember your not just in competition with the bulls..in fact your first competition is now with other shorts..If I'm long my first competition is with other longs, I want to be long below the majority..if short I want to be short at a better price than the majority of the other shorts, other wise they can close by selling to me. Were do you think the majority of the shorts shorted at ? Looks to me it was above 30..and they are your first problem. We are minnows in this sea of Whales, Sharks..and Barracudas..be careful. There are funds that go from long to short , or short to long in one swoop..they are never on the sidelines..they use the box and swing positions in one swoop thus cutting commission expence, and they have been in her long enough they don't have to average down ever. In the long run you got to play the game the way they do..you can be more nimble at it than them and thus out do them.."but only after first is getting a good position" were even if she moves against you you have some profit locked in..at least not a loss.. conservation of capital is rule #1..lets say she gets up to 26.. at that point if I chose to short, I can and never risk a penny of my original capital.. is your position that good ? If I average down a long position time is in my favor thats not so with a short position. If I look for position, first, and profit second I'll live to fight another day, if all you look at is profit..a Barracuda will sooner or later have you for lunch. Jim