thank you, dave. i think that clears things up.
if i'm interpreting correctly what you've stated, calling the ceo of usse a "swindler," for example, is permitted even though the ceo of the company is a member (albeit an infrequent poster) of investorshub, right? am i correct in stating that if a poster is having a direct conversation with that ceo, calling him or her a "swindler" would not be permitted? i see that happening very rarely, but it's still a helpful distinction to draw. i think this falls under your statement about "common courtesy."
your statement about using the terms "basher" and "pumper" clears up a lot. i had suspected that these terms are inflammatory (duh). it's just that these terms are so commonplace that i was unsure about whether their use was sufficient for post deletion. i see now that it is in most cases.
again, i appreciate your insight.
goosemeister@hotmail.com
