Having an edge.

[Profitaker]

A classroom gives the impression that there are certain criteria a person must have before they are accepted as a student....

Maybe it does, but sometimes impressions are false, and just occasionally impressions are created with the specific intent to decieve. I digress.

My point to Socrates was that it is not for him to determine the best use of a bulletin board, merely that if he does not want to participate he need only say so, and once will do. As somebody who has made clear you prefer minimal words, I thought you may be agreeable.

Do you have any comment on my definition of edge ? Can we have yours ?

 

[new_trader]

[edit] As somebody who has made clear you prefer minimal words, I thought you may be agreeable.

Do you have any comment on my definition of edge ? Can we have yours ?

I said that I prefer to use a minimum of words (I suppose many people here prefer it too)

Do you have any comment on my definition of edge ? Can we have yours ?

No, and, No.

 

[Profitaker]

No, and, No.

That's absolutely fine. But may I ask why you participate in a public bulletin board ?

 

[new_trader]

That's absolutely fine. But may I ask why you participate in a public bulletin board ?

Yes, you may. I think I explained it in another post somewhere once before. I have only ever turned to a public bulletin board when I have exhausted all other avenues available to me (or ones that I am willing to use) and wish to discuss specific issues with people who know more about a topic than I do.

 

[Splitlink]

The man only has to make a comment on a board and there is immediate dissent amongst the others.

 

[SOCRATES]

No Socrates, that is a skill, which takes years of practice, trial and error, blood, sweat, and tears, to acquire. Just ask any professional footballer, or boxer, or successful trader. Since you're so fond of analogies I've one for you:- A croupier has no skill, but he has an edge. Do you see the difference ?

No, a skill is an acquired ability, but this acquired ability has to be underpinned by something deeper than what you describe. The croupier...does not have an edge. It is the game itself that has it. He is just an impartial operator of the game, nothng more, nothing less.

Regardless, can you illustrate for us by example, how each of these elements were utilised and played out in your recent options trade?

No. That would be teaching. I am not interested in doing it, and besides I have no more time to waste. I have much more fruitful things to do, and I am verri bizzi.

 

[Profitaker]

No, a skill is an acquired ability, but this acquired ability has to be underpinned by something deeper than what you describe. The croupier...does not have an edge. It is the game itself that has it. He is just an impartial operator of the game, nothng more, nothing less.

I agree a skill is “an acquired ability”, at no time did I say otherwise, indeed that is precisely what I have been saying all along. Once again you are confusing “skill” with “edge”. The precise differences given by example are in post 156 – maybe you’d like to comment where New_trader wouldn’t ? The Croupier analogy clearly hasn’t sunk in with you. Let me try another one for you to think about:- would you say a market maker has an edge ? Why / why not ?

You don’t teach, eh ? Nothing to do with the embarrassment of reconciling your public option trades with your imaginary edge then ?

Hmm, you’re quite - right you don’t teach.

 

[new_trader]

[Edit]
Hmm, you’re quite - right you don’t teach.

Profitaker,

I am not sure if this was intended to be an insult or if you genuinely agree with SOCRATES. For as long as I have been a member of this forum SOCRATES has maintained that he isn't here to teach or give lessons. He has endeavoured to raise awareness in traders and that is all. I can only speak for myself and say that he has succeeded in doing that.

 

[Crap Buddist]

"Trade2Win (T2W) prides itself on being the leading community web site for active traders. Our aim is simple, we want to unite and support active traders across the globe. To this end we provide a range of facilities to enable our members to communicate with one another, share their knowledge and express their views. Furthermore we seek to provide educational and thought provoking content to help better educate our members in their trading lives."

Well theres more than a whiff of suggestions of assisting members with their education?

 

[TheBramble]

Profitaker,

I am not sure if this was intended to be an insult or if you genuinely agree with SOCRATES. For as long as I have been a member of this forum SOCRATES has maintained that he isn't here to teach or give lessons.

And therein may lie the rub. Profitaker has been a member longer than have you.

He was here when SOCRATES not only did very specifically give lessons, he was given his own personal ‘protected teaching zone’ by a then moderator to deliver his sermons and allegories and to do so unmolested by any free-thinking or reasonable debate. He quite specifically set himself up as a master and then spectacularly failed to make the grade according to one or two people on these boards…He may well have taken a few people with him on the way, Alice and Ron spring to mind and you too seem to have fallen under his spell. And it is all well and good that you have and that your trading has positively and profitably blossomed as a direct result. But you are one of the lucky ones, few have been able to make much sense of his pronouncements. Their loss I’m sure. However, my point being that although you do not view him as a teacher or having set himself up to be one, most of those others out there do.

If SOCRATES’ genuine intent was to raise awareness, then he has done so spectacularly, but not in an area of interest to the majority of those who habituate these boards. For psychology hounds (like me) he has been a researcher’s dream come true. LOL. If his intent was to raise general awareness of matters related to trading and that assist and facilitate more profitable trading – he has failed in the majority. If his intent was only to reap the cream of the crop, fair enough, those that he did, have done so and good luck to them all.

For my part, I tremendously admire Bertie’s ability to work a bunch of people as effectively as he does in this medium and I have noted a number of extremely and deeply interesting techniques bordering on the esoteric which will serve me in a number of situations I am sure. And for which I thank him. However, what rather soured the cream for the rest of the pussies he had so carefully nurtured was his lack of awareness (personal opinion only) in realising his options debacle, his BBQ debacle and his clear lack of control on a number of other occasions rather give lie to any ownership he may have hoped we believed he himself had of the Merit, Ability and Conduct he trumpeted so loudly as a minimum prerequisite for others.

At least we had the privilege of finding out for free.

 

[JTrader]

Originally Posted by JTrader View Post
So in essence SOCRATES, are you saying that no-one besides ourselves (including you) can help us to find the permanent edge?
Thus, the permanent edge is something we have to find completely for ourselves?
Thanks.

Ultimately, and emphatically, yes.
Everything has to come from within.

This is why a lot of people get frustrated and angry and rude and so on..

The start to get reactive and so overheated as to be practically radioactive when this fundamental truth is laid out, and they become vociferous detractors.

But if they can disconnect themselves emotionally from the frustrations that beset them and focus properly and intensely, and if they are truly honest in their endeavour to search within themselves they will find they are not trying hard enough to iron out the faults inherent in their own humanity, and then, and only then can they then set themselves on the road to achievement.

Then the few who are brave enough and determined enough and responsible enough who embark on this mission are the ones who succeed and end up developing a permanent edge. The rest have successes of sorts but never attain a really permanent edge.

Thanks SOCRATES.

 

[TheBramble]

To finish my thoughts on that last issue and bring this thread screaming back squarely onto topic…

Perhaps my above setting of that additional context of which you were possibly unaware will assist you in saving your energy in future in attempting to lock horns with all those who hold the opinion they do simply because of them holding those opinions, and that they differ somewhat to yours. Understanding now why they may do so will hopefully help you in this regard.

Having an Edge.

You have an edge. You obviously do as you are employed. You mentioned shift work. It’s probably not McDonalds and it’s more likely some sort of technical (IT/Network) role. Your edge is that you have skills, or contacts that put you in a position to draw a salary/fee based on those skills, your experience and your contacts. You have this edge over all those others that would like to do what you’re currently doing, but aren’t.

Another edge.

Say you could convince people that you had an edge in trading. Say you could convince them to give you money to learn your edge. Further, lets say you don’t really have any edge in trading at all. But people pay you to find out you don’t.

Do you have an edge? Of course you do! Your edge was in promoting an edge. The fact that it didn’t exist is irrelevant.

Now, having got that clear, it makes it so much easier to understand why those who really do have an edge in trading are very likely going to be very free with their experience and their knowledge because they know it is at best an ephemeral thing and more importantly, having found one, they can find another.

 

[SOCRATES]

No amount of prodding is going to persuade me to tell you Bramble, and to explain to you in detail, so you might as well give up. See Below.

 

[the blades]

No amount of prodding is going to persuade me to tell you Bramble, and to explain to you in detail, so you might as well give up. See Below.

maybe you should change the signature to;

"waffle isn't worth telling to those who haven't asked".



UTB

 

[rols]

maybe you should change the signature to;

"waffle isn't worth telling to those who haven't asked".



UTB

This thread's title should be changed to

"How many traders does it take to change a lightbulb....?"

Answers below please...

 

[Crap Buddist]

This thread's title should be changed to

"How many traders does it take to change a lightbulb....?"

Answers below please...

100 ?

95 to start undoing the broken bulb and 5 to whip away the ladders....

 

[trendie]

This thread's title should be changed to

"How many traders does it take to change a lightbulb....?"

Answers below please...

there are those that try to predict when it blows, and try to change it just before it does.

there will be those that wont know its blown, until they get a confirming indicator of stubbing their toe into a table in the darkness.

there will be those that sell e-books on the best ways of changing a bulb.

 

[Splitlink]

there are those that try to predict when it blows, and try to change it just before it does.

there will be those that wont know its blown, until they get a confirming indicator of stubbing their toe into a table in the darkness.

there will be those that sell e-books on the best ways of changing a bulb.

Reminds me of the electrician ( I won't mention the nationality, although you can guess ) who used to wet his thumb with his tongue before sticking it into the light socket to see if the current had been safely switched off. I suppose that he used email for his professional education.

Split

 

[TheBramble]

No amount of prodding is going to persuade me to tell you Bramble, and to explain to you in detail, so you might as well give up. See Below.

Hey Bertie, long time! Now who's the thwarted mistress?

If I really thought you had anything worth prodding for mate, I'd go straight to the horse's mouth - and ask Tom or Sebastien.

This thread is about 'Having an Edge' and I'm guessing that means within the context of trading. Do you have anything appropriate to that topic to add? Your contextually appropriate and linguistically uncomplicated replies welcome. Otherwise, we’ve got reams of the old stuff if we want it…in triplicate…

As I mentioned above, those who do, give freely of their time and information and experience. You can recognise it in an instant. That's probably the keynote of the point I keep trying to make on this thread.

You'll know an edge when you see it or hear of it, because it will make immediate sense and is something you can replicate yourself in a jiffy.

Anything else, probably, but not definitely, isn't.

 

[SOCRATES]

Hey Bertie, long time! Now who's the thwarted mistress?

If I really thought you had anything worth prodding for mate, I'd go straight to the horse's mouth - and ask Tom or Sebastien.

This thread is about 'Having an Edge' and I'm guessing that means within the context of trading. Do you have anything appropriate to that topic to add? Your contextually appropriate and linguistically uncomplicated replies welcome. Otherwise, we’ve got reams of the old stuff if we want it…in triplicate…

As I mentioned above, those who do, give freely of their time and information and experience. You can recognise it in an instant. That's probably the keynote of the point I keep trying to make on this thread.

You'll know an edge when you see it or hear of it, because it will make immediate sense and is something you can replicate yourself in a jiffy.

Anything else, probably, but not definitely, isn't.

You behave like one, you know you do, so there !

You ought to go there instead of talking about it and you will be given very good advice along these lines:

"I love boats....women...love boats...all you have to do....is to get a woman on a boat...you know...and all she wants to do is....you know what I mean..it seems to be the rocking motion that sets them off...it never fails to get them going"

...which is one of various explanations good enough for you.