You are right on target here Tom
I know that in the course of doing legitimate due diligence SOMETIMES the person on the other side of the phone, or typing the response email, simply "screws up", and a tidbit of information comes out that should not have. In the spirit of this board...sharing information for mutual financial gain.... folks with this knowledge try to get it out without divulging anything that would cause themselves or their inadvertent source a problem.
I know for an absolute fact that this scenario has played out several times on this, and a few of the other satellite boards.
To ban folks who often contribute enlightening information is bad. To ban rato, whose due diligence skills are top notch, is dangerous.
Just ask yourselves this question: If Gary came out with a negative post about a particular stock... but did not include very many details... would you pay attention? Read between the lines? Ask some more questions maybe?
What if Fernando were to do the same? You would be flirting with disaster if you did not pay careful attention to a heads up from him, even if it lacked any detail.
I think Brian (ratobranco) is in the same category.
Just my two cents
-Dan