ask yourself just how free is it? Because you paid. Oh boy did you ever pay. Better yet compare your purchase price to todays for a better example of how much this dividend truely cost you. It aint free!

Excellent point! Forget about your belief that ISM is solely responsible for the recent global meltdown and lets look at your timing of purchases. Apparently you made purchases just prior to the July, 2007 special dividend announcement - and yes the price was indeed much higher then it is now - you recently chose to lock in those losses. In summary you jumped in as everyone else was beginning the exodus. Add insult to injury, you exited as everyone else contemplates getting back in. I fail to see how this spinoff could be classified a total joke. Perhaps you were referring to your investment timing skills? and are now disgruntled?

Many of the investors I know purchased most of their stock in the 30 cent range. Using your example above you have just reinforced the fact that they received free special dividends. Yes - free! Oh boy did they ever! :)

FP