Who is brighton? EDit: It took me a while to figure out what you were talking about, but after reading the Seeking Alpha article again I realize you are talking about the promoters?
I don't personally get any brighten material so excuse my ignorance in that area. The only promotion letters I have are from dividend sighter and they are very good promoters in my opinion, all factual and good insight. I haven't seen any of the usual promoter "antics" from them. I do not know about brighten or their material.
No offense taken and you certainly have the right attitude. As far as I'm concerned, I assume that everyone I talk to has their own personal agenda. It helps take the focus away from giving weight to their opinions (as it is most likely the result of their long or short position) and instead try to focus on WHAT they are saying. That's why sometimes I mix up replying to posts because I don't pay attention to usernames, I only pay attention to the content of what someone is writing.
Edit #2: By the way you should NOT trust anyone, including myself. You should only trust yourself. I know it means you have to do a lot more work, but trust me (ironic phrasing)... it's worth it. By learning how to check things for yourself instead of relying on some anonymous internet message board, you will improve your investing habits by leaps and bounds.