Bashers HandBookIs the"Bashing" of a stock an essential part of the online investmentlandscape? Our Constitutionguarantees us free speech and we have always valued the lessons gleanedfrom dissent. When does dissent cross over that imaginary line and become"Bashing"? To often we find well grounded dissent capriciously labeled as "Bashing" by over zealous investors bent on protectinga stocks reputation at any cost. The "Bashing" that is addressedon this site is quite different from dissent. The Anatomy of a Basher strives to look at the calculated erosion of confidence in agiven stock. Erosion by means that are, in every sense, void of truth,hinged on deception and innuendo, and motivated by greed at the expense of others. This compendium is offered to aid in identifyingthe telltale signs of "Bashing", and hopefully provide a counterbalance to this heretofore unchecked manipulation of investors fearsfor personal gain. ISIT EASIER TO SCARE PEOPLE INTO SELLING THAN IT IS TO SCARE PEOPLE INTO BUYING A STOCK? I have asked some knowledgeable investors this question and the answeris always: "YES, OF COURSE YES!" WHOBASHERS PREY UPON Considerthe elderly that are investing for retirement, they find their way tothe message boards for validation only to see false posts about "SECViolations" and "Class action suits"... or the head ofa "typical growing family", with children to put throughcollege, who is monitoring a message board only to read posts bya "pack of 15 to 20 Bashers" (probably 5 or 6 under variousalias's) posting continuous disinformation... what do you think thesenew investors will do? It's safer to not buy or even sell the stock,put the money back in the bank than to deal with all this whirl windof "unsupported" negative chaff. The Internet has lured a whole new class of investor into the market.A new investor is just that - New! This new investor, while learningthe basics, is particularly vulnerable to the tactics of professionalBashers. New investors tend to lurk in the background of message boards,content to form independent opinions based on what they read with theirown eyes. Very often, honest, intelligent and cautious people can easilybe overcome by a well orchestrated propaganda effort. You must always remember that their is a lot of money to be made injust the motion of a stock UP or DOWN it doesn't matter! AndBashers have money at risk just as you do. But they have the edge offear, lies, and falsehoods to post while preying on the un-initiated.The average investor dose not have the edge of organized deception. Recent revelations have indicated that even Market Makers (those chargedwith keeping the playing field level) have been involved in stock manipulationby Bashing on a stock message board. HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS A REALTHREAT! Lesson1: Remember, BASHERS NEVERBash A BAD STOCK. Check the boards for stockswith no potential. They never have any Bashers. Bashers only go afterstocks that are moving up or have excellent potential to do so. Basherswork to bring the price down to either increase their position at theexpense of others or help a Short make their bones. Lesson 2: BASHERSALWAYS BRING UP OLD NEWS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD MANY TIMES. New startup companiesalways have a few bits of bad news. The Basher will post this over andover again. Unsophisticated Bashers will try to freshen up old newswith a new date or by-line in an attempt to fool you. Lesson 3: BASHERSPOST MANY TIMES A DAY. They try to wear you out. Theycomment on everything, every other post, and can answer every question. THEY KNOW IT ALL! Thereis no positive comment they won't Bash. They try to control the board. True longs may have to confront the Bashers or they will appear tothe newbies as being the people with all the information. This isbest accomplished by posting positive, well researched data on the company,repetitively, while trying hard not to engage the Bashers in directrepartee. REMEMBER - LONGS... RESIST USING THE BASHERS ALIAS! Lesson 4: BASHERSWILL LIE TO YOUR FACE. Never trust a Basher. The truthon startup companies is that they make mistakes. What new company hasn't?The Basher will compare your issue to a another companies, financials- deals - management, etc., trying to lure you into making an Applesto Oranges comparison. Remember each company is unique and while itis prudent to seek out established indicators, do so with care and don'ttake someone else's word for it. Strive to come up with at least a "six-pack"of indicators so your vision of the state of a company is not tied toa single barometer. Not doing so is tantamount to going to a RaceTrack and betting on the "Pretty Brown Horsey". BASHERS WANT TO WHISPERIN YOUR EAR - PLANTA SEED OF DOUBT, AND HOPE THAT YOU ARE NOT SAVVYENOUGH TO RESEARCH THE TRUTH ON YOUR OWN. This is how they achieve their greatest success. DOUBT+ FEAR + LAZINESS = BAIL OUT! This is yourinvestment... work for it, protect it and don't panic on the words ofvery shadowy figure that "has your best interest in theirheart". Consider that one factor: Someone you have never met, isnot a member of your family, is now, out of the goodness of their hearts - GIVING YOU FREE ADVICE (that you didn't ask for). It's a no brainer.They have motives $$$$$$$$$$$$. Lesson 5: Bashers know YOU CAN'T VERIFY THEIR STATEMENTS. That's why theymake the vague statements they do. They rely on you being to lazy toresearch their droppings other than to scan the board for others opinions.This is particularly dangerous when you consider that Bashers workin packs and often validate and back up each others nonsensewith what appears to be "innocuous and unsolicited" verificationby comrade Bashers. Let's face it, we are all conditioned to "believe"everything we see in writing. If others by virtue of their "posts"also confirm this belief, then we are subconsciously doomed to swallowthe hook, line and sinker... Basher- 1 Honest Investor - 0 Lesson 6: The Bashers PLAYON YOUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. They can lie about information and you won't know the difference (unlessyou have done your own DD on the company and know the truth and facts). Lesson7: Bashers play on your lack of patience. You have helda stock for a while.You knew it will be a big stock someday, but the BASHERCAN GET TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE TIRED OF WAITING FOR YOUR GAIN. That's when the Basher is best. You are tired. You have forgotten thegoal for the stock was to hold it for one year. The Basher is bothersome,so you dump it on a bad day. Some others also dump. Then you get madfor your loss and return to let everyone know how mad you are. Thenyou turn into a semi-Basher as well. THEBASHER HAS WON, AND GAINED A NEW ALLY - YOU! Lesson 8: BRINGTHE PRICE DOWN. That isthe Basher's job. The truth is not important. Lies are the norm. Postcontinuously on the board every day. They are trying to scare the newbiesthat are just investigating a stock. They are trying to wear down thefaithful longs on the board and gain free reign and control. ABASHER HANDBOOK: Do not underestimate a Bashers influence on a stock. The Pro'sare good at what they do and what they do is profit from your losses.Below is their "hand-book". Learn from it or you willbe donating your hard earned money to them! Rulesfor Successful Bashing: 1. Be anonymous 2. Use 10%fact. 90% suggestion. The facts will lend credibility to your suggestions. 3. Let othershelp you learn about the stock. Build rapport and a support base before initiating your Bashing routine. 4. Enter w/humor and reply to all who reply to you. 5. Use multipleISP's, handles and aliases. 6. Use two(2) or more aliases to simulate a discussion. 7. Do notstart with an all out slam of the stock. Build softly. 8. Identifyyour foes (Longs) and the boards "guru" Use them to your advantage. Lead them do not follow their lead. 9. Only Bashuntil the tide/momentum turns. Let doubt carry it the rest of the way. 10. Give the appearance of being open minded. 11. Be boldin your statements. People follow strength. 12. Writeheadlines in caps with catchy statements. 13. Pour iton as your position gains momentum. Not your personality. 14. Don'tworry about being labeled a "Basher". Newbies won't know your history. 15. When identifiedput up a brief fight, then back off. Return in an hour unless your foe is a weak in reasoning powers. 16. Your goalis to limit the momentum of the run. Not to tank the company or create a plunge in the stock; be subtle and consistent. 17. Kill thedreams of profits, not the company or the stock. 18. Use questionsto create critical thinking. Statements to reinforce facts. 19. DO NOTLIE, NAME CALL or USE PROFANITY. 20. Encouragepeople to call the company. 99% won't. They'll take your wordfor claims made. If they do call you can always find something thatis inaccurate in how they report their findings. 21. Discouragepeople from believing Press Releases. Encourage them to call the company. They won't out of laziness. 22. If thecompanies history/PR's are negative constantly point to that. Compilea list of this data prior to beginning your efforts. 23. If theprice rises blame it on the hype or the PR, temporary mass reaction, the market, etc. Anything but the stock itself. 24. If otherposters share your concerns, play on that and share theirs too. 25. Alwayscite low volume, even when it's not. 26. Threeor four aliases can dominate a board and wear down the longs. 27. Bait theLongs into personal debates putting their focus/efforts on you and not the stock or facts. Divert their attentionfrom facts. 28. Promoteother stocks that would-be investors can turn to instead of the one your Bashing. 30. Do notfall for challenges on the "values" of what you are doing,it's a game and you are playing it with your own rules. Grade 'A' Basher: If you post lots of old news, respond to all positive posts with anegative side. Never respond to being called a Basher, never poston another board with same alias. Can spend up to 80 hours a weekBashing a stock. Grade'B' Basher: Very good way with words, always claims to be your "friend"taking the positive poster into confidence, never posts on anotherboard, spends about 60 hours a week. Grade 'C' Basher: Spends less time than the others but is somewhat effective and getsa C grade due to getting excited when Bashers rules say not to getexcited, spends about 40 hours a week. Grade 'D' Basher: Needs to learn the basics about being convincing when making a negativestatement. Spends a good amount of time working the stock, maybe 20hours a week. Grade 'F' Basher: A complete idiot, most readers are not convinced he knows anythingabout stocks in general. The type that says a stock "sucks",but gives no rationale, shows up every so often but no regular schedule. LEARNABOUT HOW BASHERS WORK: For instance: did you know that some Bashers are paid? GoldenRule: IGNORETHEM ...learn how professional Bashers are paid: When you REPLY to Bashers you give them an opportunityto earn appox. 5-7 dollars. The service agreement they enter into withtheir employer states their messages will be monitored for content,profanity, lies, etc. but Overseers and the like don't have the timeto check all their Bashers messages. Only occasional spot checks aredone. Those who manage the Basher will generally read the headlinesto see if a Basher is replying to other posters by name. That tellsthem the Basher isn't just "posting blindly" or repeatingthe same message over and over since they won't pay for those.(Trueto form a Basher will put the bite on anyone, even their unscrupulousemployer). A Basher will attempt to milk three to five replies per postat one to two dollars each. This way the Basher spreads negative influenceto as many stockholders as possible. A Basher will create this discussionthread because it takes less time reading more messages than is necessary.This ultimately allows the Basher more time to post and make money.In general, NEVERENGAGE A BASHER. Make them read all the postsand think up ways to enter the discussion. NEVERENGAGE A BASHER; if you do so then YOUBECOME THE BASHER,S AID! If you feel compelled to challengea Basher do so without mentioning his/her true alias in your response.This will make it hard for the Basher to use your post as a revenuestream. Read the news, do your own homework and make your own decisions.Get real time quotes and follow the stock for a couple of weeks. DueDiligence is key here. Know that there will be a time when the stockruns up which will be followed followed by the Bashers and those thatmissed the boat. The Bashers will trash the stock by saying such thingsas "it's a Pump and Dump" and "the company is lying"and deceiving. There goal is to scare off newbies and potential newinvestors by "shaking" you out of your shares. Take the timeto confirm your DD ,trust your own judgement and believe in yourself,pick your point of return or loss and live with it. Don't listen tohype or Bashers trust your own judgement. Live by the rules you havecreated . HOW TO IDENTIFY A BASHER 1. Checkthe "Born on Date" Bashers create identities on a regularbasis. Rarely do you find a Basher with older "Created On"date. So click on the Identity icon for more details. 2. Takethe time to look at the Basher's history of Posts. Go to other boardsand see if their is a pattern to the theme of the posts. Bashers rarelywaste time trying to blend in with "positive" posts, unlessthey are cultivating a new uninformed assistant. 3. Whendid the Basher show up. Bashers rarely show up when activity is in ata Lull. They show up when activity up/down.. 4. Bashersnever answer direct questions except with another question. 5. Bashersdo work in teams (sometimes themselves as a team). So be suspiciousof someone showing up and automatically having a Shadow toconverse with who supports their argument. 6. Bashersalways select "an argument" that can never be resolvedby research. TheBasher 'Pack' Mentality Bashers loveto work in packs. It provides the quintessential cover to achieve supposedly"independent" validation of an argument. It is neither independentnor validating. Pack Structure: Basher Packs can be comprised of any number of Bashers.They can be purposely formed within an organization or they can be "adhoc" formed during a conclave on a particular board. In fact apack mentality can be achieved by an ambitious "party of one"with a few select aliases. Once a pack is formed, a leader emerges. This leader is usually acknowledgedby other Bashers because of 1. Knowledge of the stock. or 2.Recognition by current board Longs (high visibility). Once establishedthe Leader will usually work the Pack members up in to a posting frenzy.Constantly changing themes and even occasionally biting the ear of anotherpack member (this earns instant credibility), and it doesn't offendthe bitten Basher because he/she knows it is all part of the effect.Quite sophisticated. Packs willdisband and slink away without notice. Usually this is the call of thePack Leader who is adept at recognizing overplay. More oftenthan not, Pack members must move on because they have other Bashingcommitments to fulfill. They will return to the site of a good huntover and over again, until hamstringing is achieved. What calls a pack together. The Cry of the Leader. Certain Bashers loveto work together. They know each others bite, how to feign in and out,it is a well choreographed Bash when pack members have worked togetherbefore. They constantly check their "Sites Du Jour" for signsof Pack activity. Occasionally they will throw out a "Nibbler"Bash to see if the pack responds or if not they can work the site themselves.It's all about effectiveness, time and earning money.