Now I'll pick on the rest of your post.

"New posters seem to be afraid of giving an honest opinion or asking an honest question for fear of being attacked by others."

How do you KNOW other people's feelings?

"Even some of the semi-new posters are brown-nosing some here fore reasons I don't know; maybe to get in with the "in group", or maybe for fear of getting on the wrong side of the "in group.""

How do you KNOW they are "brown nosing" and not expressing honest feelings?

"It reminds me of High School peer pressure. Are some of you so afraid that others on a stock message board might not like what you have to say that you forgo your own beliefs and post some pathetic response in support of someone whose beliefs you don't even agree with just to "belong to the Group"? Be honest with yourself."

When I was in high school, I don't ever recall a student yelling bad things about our team at a pep rally. Peer pressure? Or just maybe they had a vested interest in the outcome of the upcoming game - if only for school pride. They may have voiced opinions about who should play what position and game strategy, but the adult ones did not attack their schoolmates for voicing their opinions - they may have voiced an opposing opinion, but they didn't proclaim them liars (even if we lost the game).

Now it's time for you to be honest with YOURself.

JMHOs,

SGE