Some excellent observations and commentary.
>>People of like mind, wise or not, like to huddle together and convince one another what geniuses they are. <<
EXACTLY! It's the founding reason for the Internet. Not necessarily to discuss how much of a genius one another is, but a gathering of people who enjoy discussing the topic at hand.
For example, I had a problem with my motorcycle. The brake light was always staying on. I went to the Honda VTX board where people are there because they own one, love it, and love to discuss it. They answered my question within minutes. We were like-minded folks gathering to discuss a topic.
The problem comes in when you figure money into the equation. That's the heart of the issue here.
The people who are requesting a private board are not people who are trying to scam others into buying the stock. They simply want a place where their like-minded buddies can all gather in a friendly environment and discuss the thing. Yes, I'll stand behind that comment. If a pumper wants to move a stock, he needs new blood. He isn't going to get that from people who are fully educated on the stock and discuss it daily. He has to cover new ground. The main board, other boards.
Just like the Honda VTX. Do you think Honda is going to advertise on the VTX owner's board? Of course not. They are seeking new blood and it aint on the owner's board.
Everybody keeps bringing up this whole deal about the private boards encouraging scammers and letting them kill dissenting views. Bull crap. The scenario I'm talking about allows only limited use of private boards -- I see the need for 2 private boards on this entire site right now, max -- and it *must* have a public, open board to go along with it. Why I have to protect everybody from themselves is beyond me. I'm not a babysitter.
Folks, everybody makes their own decisions. I can't protect everybody and make no effort to. If someone isn't adult and mature enough to do his homework before he invests, yet listens to some whack job saying the stock is going to the moon...he needs to lose his money immediately, so the loss is smaller than it accumulating.
If they want to discuss a stock without a few certain folks part of the discussion, why can't they? We are a message board provider, right? And they want to post messages, right? And they want to use the investorshub.com URL to do this discussing? Why shouldn't I let them if the board has grown to a point where it can support two boards and the range of personalities has grown to a point where the room has too many different kinds of people in it. Kind of like a fire marshall. Put too many people in a room and you've got a hazard on your hands.
Finally, getting on the Internet and chatting with people shouldn't be a battle after you get home from work. It should be a civil, enjoyable discussion that everybody profits from. If you aren't having fun, what's the point.
Bottomline: We are a message board. We only make money if people are using the investorshub.com url to discuss. If they aren't, somebody else is filling that void. Everybody should be allowed to post here as long as they follow the rules. There should be NO reason for anybody to leave if they are following the rules. If they are, I'm not doing my job.
There's an answer. I just gotta figure it out.
MB
I'm going to bed now.
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