Level of participation in stock threads

the whole market is in a general malaise.......we have iconic figures declaring on national tele they've bailed their stock holdings on a government sponsored network, the same body (govt) that attempts to have everyone into the stock market by decree....likely the greatest activity at ASF is during or just after major highs in indices....so it is with major lows and we need to go lower and flush out the dearth of enthusiasm and general cynicism that seems to pervade everything........just look at the general media who reflect all that dark-attitude-is-cool syndrome.......we have a weak government that needs to go because we need to see change not necessarily have change, just see it.....we most likely need an event to mark a low, a peak of anger for a decent flush and allow a new attitude and new ideas to flourish......amazing that we have, live with, we are on the cusp of some of the greatest inventions with amazing technologies compared to 3 decades ago when a rotary landline phone was considered normal yet today with all the availability of web access and largest participation of public involved in the stock market there is this huge black spot.......all chat sites/rooms do is reflect optimism or apathy......how often does the live chat room get used, how much are people enthusiastic about communicating?

the challenge for most traders is to have awareness of this period.....

for a marketing/advertising site like ASF this is the cyclic downturn......there are several sites i visit across the globe and they are all going through similar cycles to lesser degrees depending and reflective of their major indices.......it's a business ebb and flow that most sites don't understand as a normality because they go through it so rarely......unfortunately band-aid efforts can't fight the nature of the business but can through observation allow surviving sites to build on needs of the visitors and like any evolving business model the site, to thrive, needs to morf in accordance with it's largest product, the members......

So_Cynical said:

i know who the ASF right is and so does everyone else (apparently Julia also has no idea ),

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You are, as usual, twisting what was said.

1. Plod alleged that gg and I were two members who only ever posted in "Labor bashing threads".
gg and I have - of course - refuted that.

2. I can still only think of one member who posts only in political threads so dispute your assertion that there are 'six or seven'.

Julia said:

You are, as usual, twisting what was said.

1. Plod alleged that gg and I were two members who only ever posted in "Labor bashing threads".
gg and I have - of course - refuted that.

2. I can still only think of one member who posts only in political threads so dispute your assertion that there are 'six or seven'.

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+1 Julia.

I do not know what all the kerfuffle is about.

If I want to talk about soccer, I don't go to Dairy Farmers stadium when The Cowboys are playing The Broncos.

Of course more people of the Centre and right will be on ASF than people of the left.

gg

Joules MM1 said:

the challenge for most traders is to have awareness of this period.....

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at the peak of indices chat sites promote and receive harmony, at lows a lot more effort goes into policing disharmony, people tend to gang, become separate, a them-and-us syndrome, they tend toward being defensive and using defense even though theyre just seeing words on a screen they feel the need to to express frustration as a normal and justified state of being......a peak in this stuff is a precursor and necessary for a large low to be set in the indices .......

springhill said:

I'd just like to thank everyone who has lifted their efforts and output on individual stocks, the forum is a more interesting and dynamic place already. From a personal point of view it is fantastic a lot of lesser know companies are being discussed. Great effort peoples, keep up the good work.

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Yeah, I reckon that BBQ sounds like a goer, Could pairs trade it with xxx(x).

springhill said:

I'd just like to thank everyone who has lifted their efforts and output on individual stocks, the forum is a more interesting and dynamic place already. From a personal point of view it is fantastic a lot of lesser know companies are being discussed. Great effort peoples, keep up the good work.

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Agreed. I have noticed the difference already and am very impressed! The amount of stock threads being updated has increased dramatically over the last day or so, and I hope the momentum continues to build.

Keep up the good work everyone, and if you feel as though you don't have anything of value to add to a stock thread that you have been following, feel free to ask questions.

Joules MM1 said:

at the peak of indices chat sites promote and receive harmony, at lows a lot more effort goes into policing disharmony, people tend to gang, become separate, a them-and-us syndrome, they tend toward being defensive and using defense even though theyre just seeing words on a screen they feel the need to to express frustration as a normal and justified state of being......a peak in this stuff is a precursor and necessary for a large low to be set in the indices .......

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Insightful comment. There's also the 'collective mood' inspired by political volatility.

Joe Blow said:

Keep up the good work everyone, and if you feel as though you don't have anything of value to add to a stock thread that you have been following, feel free to ask questions.

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OK. So if I want to ask this question "If I were to want to buy bank shares, which bank would you suggest and why?", what thread would I put it in?
It's something I genuinely would like people's views on but wouldn't usually post such a question because it's essentially seeking advice, isn't it?

Julia said:

Insightful comment. There's also the 'collective mood' inspired by political volatility.


OK. So if I want to ask this question "If I were to want to buy bank shares, which bank would you suggest and why?", what thread would I put it in?
It's something I genuinely would like people's views on but wouldn't usually post such a question because it's essentially seeking advice, isn't it?

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Start a thread (Joe can help you with this!)
Call it "Which Bank" or something similar!

Julia said:

OK. So if I want to ask this question "If I were to want to buy bank shares, which bank would you suggest and why?", what thread would I put it in?
It's something I genuinely would like people's views on but wouldn't usually post such a question because it's essentially seeking advice, isn't it?

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Hi Julia, it is the way you have phrased the question that makes it sound like financial advice, if you were to ask 'Which is your favoured bank to invest in and why?' then you are simply asking for points of view, and can DYOR research from there.

Julia said:

OK. So if I want to ask this question "If I were to want to buy bank shares, which bank would you suggest and why?", what thread would I put it in?
It's something I genuinely would like people's views on but wouldn't usually post such a question because it's essentially seeking advice, isn't it?

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Hi Julia, you should start that thread in the ASX Stock Chat forum and title it along the lines of, "Which bank do you think is the most undervalued"?

In fact, there's already a thread in that forum on that very topic: Which bank is the best value?

Joe Blow said:

Hi Julia, you should start that thread in the ASX Stock Chat forum and title it along the lines of, "Which bank do you think is the most undervalued"?

In fact, there's already a thread in that forum on that very topic: Which bank is the best value?

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I suppose I could. Except I just don't do the whole 'value investing' thing. I'm only interested in price action and a quick glance at a chart tells me that.

I'm always interested in general economic and financial stuff, especially Super, tax etc. But when I click on some of the stock threads and see some obscure speculative company with a SP of a fraction of a cent, then I just have nothing to say. Sorry.

Logged in for the first time in 3 days and there are lots of stock threads in the new posts Remmebr we can also talk about the top 50 (or whatever number) as a lot of people are probably just as curious about them as the are about spec stocks

Julia said:

I'm always interested in general economic and financial stuff, especially Super, tax etc. But when I click on some of the stock threads and see some obscure speculative company with a SP of a fraction of a cent, then I just have nothing to say. Sorry.

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So why not start a thread in the stock chat about the technicals/price action of the big banks? To mirror the value thread.

By the sounds of it, there are plenty of stock specific discussions you could have, or questions you could ask, you just dont seem to be bothered. Not that that is a bad thing, but this is a stock forum after all.

prawn_86 said:

By the sounds of it, there are plenty of stock specific discussions you could have, or questions you could ask, you just dont seem to be bothered. Not that that is a bad thing, but this is a stock forum after all.

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As someone who has posted pretty widely over many years, I'd like to know just why so much responsibility is being directed toward me to do more posting in stock threads, when there are plenty of other people of whom the same could be asked?

It seems to me that because I took the trouble to explain that I wasn't presently posting on stocks because I am standing aside from the market, I've been targeted via several posts now, prawn, with the repeated urging to make up some reason to post in a stock thread, any stock thread.

Perhaps you could leave me alone to make up my own mind or if that's unsatisfactory, suspend my capacity to post anywhere else.

It does seem obvious that there is far less research observation and comment on the stock threads. This isn't necessarily the case with all stock market forums. I think it needs a reasonable core of interested, quality and respectful contributors to create an environment that generates interest in shares. ASF probably has them but perhaps they have become jaded.

IMO it is very difficult to find lots of good reasons to invest in particular stocks - and then see them steadily fall as overarching issues drive the market down. In a nutshell perhaps we shouldn't be in the market at this stage ?

Despite my last comment I have still written in a few shares in the stock threads. I'm largely avoiding the general thread because, frankly, the reflex response to most of my contributions is thoughtless and nasty. Little point hanging around for those sort of comments.

Julia said:

As someone who has posted pretty widely over many years, I'd like to know just why so much responsibility is being directed toward me to do more posting in stock threads, when there are plenty of other people of whom the same could be asked?

It seems to me that because I took the trouble to explain that I wasn't presently posting on stocks because I am standing aside from the market, I've been targeted via several posts now, prawn, with the repeated urging to make up some reason to post in a stock thread, any stock thread.

Perhaps you could leave me alone to make up my own mind or if that's unsatisfactory, suspend my capacity to post anywhere else.

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I think it is because you have been one of the more vocal in your defense of not posting in stock threads. We know there are many people in the same situation (probably reading this thread and not posting in it), and my posts are directed at them as much as yourself.

What i am trying to highlight is that if members had a bit of a think, there would be questions, or information, they could come up with specific to a number of different stocks. If they then posted those questions or information it would help continue to grow ASF and increase the amount of stock posts, which is what Joe has asked for.

I would just like to clarify something. I don't want anyone to feel obligated to post in stock threads. My initial request was that those who have an active watchlist - and most of those interested in stock market trading or investing do - please consider updating those threads when new information comes to hand.

It is not mandatory to participate in stock threads, I just think that ASF is more interesting and useful (and true to its original purpose) when there is more activity in these threads. ASF is a stock market forum and I would like to encourage a focus on market related discussion. I have no issue at all with the amount of posts in threads in the General Chat forum and I do not wish to restrict posting in any way. I'd just like to see more stock chat and I'm happy to see that seems to be occurring and I hope it continues.

i think a lot of people get real sick of the personal attacks in the forums

its not moderated hard at all.. its a real soft moderation here. i know a few whom have left asf because of the bullying..

if you post opinion, then your attacked in a big way..

i give a perfect example of this in a thread called the future of property prices in australia

look at robots, he would proudly post how many posters he had defeated in the thread throughout the property bubble.. and once the bubble burst.. gone!!! but never was robots pulled up for personal attacks.. he was posted proudly how many victims he had under his belt..

my point is the personal attacks on those people whom were wise enough to see the bubble for what it is, was relentless.. there are many there on that thread still today whom are long time forum manipulators and imho borderline bullies.. i saw a new forum user recently get a huge attack on the property thread just recently.. i gave him a reply on the thread and encouraged him to keep posting.. but it demonstrates the level of intensity there is in the bullying on a lot of topics,,

its not a case of moderators not being available, this forum has committed moderators.. nothing wrong with that,.. but its about quality imho..

i recall one mod coming onto the adi thread and absolutely talking nonsense.. dribbling on about cash investing being a better investment and better return that the share itself.. ridiculing the investors. even coming back a few weeks later when the markets turned down and made some victorious posts about how wonderful the cash investment was versus the share. he didnt start a new thread to demonstrate the garbage he was posting, he wanted attention and posted on the most popular thread just for notoriety.. . trying to stop people from discussing the share itself on the thread.. i recall one other mod pming me and saying that joe wanted the thread closed down,, he was trying to discourage me from posting on the forum altogether.. and at the time that thread was one of the most read threads on the forum..

so as a forum user, you dont get much encouragement for posting on a share.. infact it has peeved asf for a long time when a thread was popular.. .. and when your on a small cap volatile share and your mods are that brazen they come on and jibe you with bets on what will be a better investment. cash or the share itself.. then its a joke.. btw the share went form .06 to .42 and the mod never came back and demonstrated what a farce his attempts to discredit the share and the investors themselves whom were just discussing the share on the forum..

so for me, i dont post much as the level of attack by the longer term members and the lack of respect is not worth the grief


all imho!!!!!

Agentm said:

if you post opinion, then your attacked in a big way..

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Disagreeing with someone's opinions and/or analysis is not attacking them. It's simply disagreeing, even if done in a tactless or thoughtless way. Moderators are entitled to their own views and are expected to obey the same rules as everyone else. Beyond that there is no restriction on the opinions they are allowed to express.

Agentm said:

i give a perfect example of this in a thread called the future of property prices in australia

look at robots, he would proudly post how many posters he had defeated in the thread throughout the property bubble.. and once the bubble burst.. gone!!! but never was robots pulled up for personal attacks.. he was posted proudly how many victims he had under his belt..

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He was pulled up for personal attacks when he made them like anyone else. As annoying as many found robots he mostly posted within the rules and was pulled up when he didn't. I'm not prepared to run ASF like a police state, but do my best to enforce reasonable standards of both posting and behaviour.

Agentm said:

my point is the personal attacks on those people whom were wise enough to see the bubble for what it is, was relentless.. there are many there on that thread still today whom are long time forum manipulators and imho borderline bullies..

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Again, expressing a different opinion is not a personal attack. I agree the thread is a passionate one and it occasionally goes off topic, but it's no more rough and tumble than many other threads.

Agentm said:

i saw a new forum user recently get a huge attack on the property thread just recently.. i gave him a reply on the thread and encouraged him to keep posting.. but it demonstrates the level of intensity there is in the bullying on a lot of topics,,

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I disagree that intensity and passion equate to bullying. I think there are many who feel that criticism of their views amounts to an attack of them. I can't agree. Bullying is something different altogether, and I disagree that it is a common occurrence here at ASF.

Agentm said:

i recall one mod coming onto the adi thread and absolutely talking nonsense.. dribbling on about cash investing being a better investment and better return that the share itself.. ridiculing the investors. even coming back a few weeks later when the markets turned down and made some victorious posts about how wonderful the cash investment was versus the share. he didnt start a new thread to demonstrate the garbage he was posting, he wanted attention and posted on the most popular thread just for notoriety.. . trying to stop people from discussing the share itself on the thread.. i recall one other mod pming me and saying that joe wanted the thread closed down,, he was trying to discourage me from posting on the forum altogether.. and at the time that thread was one of the most read threads on the forum..

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I don't recall the incident that you are referring to, but suggesting that cash might be a better investment then being long in a particular stock is hardly "ridiculing investors". It's expressing an opinion, and one that is not unreasonable. Many holders do tend to get their knickers in a twist when anyone expresses a bearish view on whatever stock is being discussed. My policy here at ASF is all views are welcome, as long as the person expressing them explains their thinking and abides by the forum rules.

Agentm, Hotcopper has kindergarten rules for those who are easily offended. Over there, nothing is allowed that might be construed as naughty or politically incorrect. They're terrified of litigation! HC still has some excellent info, so I still read, I just don't post.

But life is full of difficult people and disagreements, isn't it? If a new member was to post something in the boys club that is the "International Traders Banter" thread, he'd be torn apart in no time!! Is that a good thing? No, not really, but I accept that's the way it is. I know the different personalities that post there and mostly they're good types, even though they may appear critical and condescending at times. Learn a way of coping with that reality. Bullying is not acceptable (IMO), but aside from that, freedom is a good thing. Soft moderation is good moderation.

Joe Blow said:

... Many holders do tend to get their knickers in a twist when anyone expresses a bearish view on whatever stock is being discussed. ...

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I had that feeling recently.