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Technology Stocks : USWeb (USWB) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Rick who wrote (635)	10/8/1998 9:34:00 PM
From: Rick	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1188

I posted the dated Street.com article because I think it's interesting with the perspective of knowing how things have unfolded for US Web after the publication date. One of things I find most interesting about it is the following excerpt: "Wearing a brown suit, gray turtleneck and a neatly trimmed beard, Firmage frequently clenched his fist and tightened his jaw as he told USWeb's story." In this single line, the reporter has unveiled the Venus Fly Trap to the flies willing to listen. The flies that understood the message avoided the slow anguish filled death in the bowels of the carnivorous plant; Those that did not understand, or were unwilling to listen, are in the process of being consumed. The Venus Fly Trap emits an odor reminiscent of rotten meat to lure the fly to it's ultimate destiny. Joe Firmage wears a brown suit and turtle neck to lure investor funds to their ultimate destiny. Of course, a person or company is entitled to present themselves in the light of their choosing. And I am not suggesting that investors should place undue weight on the intangibles, like appearances and gut impressions. The numbers are more important. However, the animals that thrive in this world are the ones that can detect the deception(s) of the predator, and avoid becoming prey. This is equally true for investors and their money. For me, it is clear that the numbers are not favorable. But what really made me comfortable shorting USWB was that my BS-indicator was registering record levels after reading the press releases and listening to the conference calls. So, the lesson is that if you smell rotten meat, keep a close eye on your investable funds ! Cheers. Rick.