January 1, 2008

COMMON CENT$ BLOG ETIQUETTE:

1. You are a GUEST on this blog - act accordingly. Respect Dave K. and any other poster on this blog. Don't expect the blog to change to suit your idea of what the contents should be.

2. I will occasionally provide specific information on individual companies. HOWEVER, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DOES THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE EVER REPRESENT A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY OR SELL STOCKS. Do not expect me to provide an ongoing detail of any of my personal trades or those made in and/or by me in any of my accounts. Not only is it tacky behavior to expect free services from a business-person, but I do not have the time to provide such a FREE service to an anonymous crowd (blog readers). In addition, there are specific SEC and other regulatory agency rules and regulations regarding what are and are not allowed in this regard and I have no intention of EVER violating ANY of them.

3. Any posts are fair game to be challenged, but try to buttress your posts/opinions with empirical facts, not subjective feelings. A challenge to your idea is not an attack on you personally. You, as the poster, have to differentiate. It is hard to read voice inflection, etc.., in comments, so take it all with a grain of salt. Blogging and commenting are great for developing thick skin.

4. Avoid ad hominem arguments. An ad hominem argument is a logical fallacy that involves replying to an argument by addressing the person presenting the argument as a basis for the argument being incorrect, as opposed to pointing out a flaw in the argument. The gist of an ad hominem is that it's an attack on the person rather than the argument. Don't attack the person. If you disagree and you must get your thought on record, do it in a civil way. Don't go after people. If you must respond, talk about the idea presented.

5. Bombastic comments designed to inflame other posters and draw attention to you should be avoided. Any attack on a blog is a public attack. You can look stupid, no matter how 'valid' your point may be.

6. Bravado and braggadocio about your trading prowess, returns, and wealth are signs of immaturity and will also generate bad karma for your future trades. In a related vein, the constant hyping of your holdings should also be avoided. If you are not aware of what constitutes posting your trades and what constitutes hyping, err on the side of silence. If you feel you must resort to this and the aforementioned bravado, go over to the Yahoo! message boards which are rife with similar losers and you'll feel right at home.

7. Cries about market manipulation, political agendas, whining that the Fed (or whoever) is corrupt, etc... ad nauseum, are often nothing more than an excuse for bad trades and the dialogue gets old fast. Don't bore the other posters.

8. Avoid cursing and comments with sexual connotations. There are ladies and gentlemen on this blog who don't appreciate that talk. When you write, keep in mind that your personality and your reputation are reflected in your words.

9. Write something of value and brief posts are usually better. This blog has grown significantly over the months. Don't be putting chaff out there that keeps bloggers from seeing the gems. If there is an article that you think is relevant, post the link instead of cutting and pasting the entire article. Exceptionally pithy posts may be worthy of a COMMON CENT$ Recognition Award.

10. If you're a poor typist and/or grammatically challenged, use a spell and grammar checker before posting. Read what you type. You have time to think it through!

Bottom Line: All that personal attacks, inappropriate and immature comments do is bring this site, its purpose, and the dialogue to a screeching halt. It chases off the people who have been coming here, helping to build it up and prevents new comers from wanting to even hang around, let alone get involved. If that is your intent, then get your own blog.

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