Liz, I find your post excellent, as is the case with all of yours. It thoughtfully and honestly raises some important issues that should be faced by all of us CMM shareholders. No question, no one should be muzzled and it was never my thought that this should be done, even to "Rustman".

However, in my view he has all the earmarks of a paid basher. Nothing says an intelligent basher can't include factual and persuasive material. It has been well-documented by "reformed" (former) bashers that one element of their pay structure includes a tally of the responses he elicits. This is done (in the interests of simplicity and convenience) by counting the replies under the same heading he initially used. Quite simply, by changing the heading it reduces his financial incentive which I consider worthwhile, especially when it is so easy to do this.

As to the slim pickings referred to by Mr Balducci, I would assume he indeed would starve unless assigned a large block of companies to bash! We are one of many companies being bashed and this may be a back-handed compliment, as why bash if there is nothing to gain!

So, change the heading, please. If this requires too much effort and/or you don't feel like doing it, so be it!

Best wishes to all CMM longs!

O.F.