<panting>
I kept up with the thread for the first 400 posts but let it get away from me. I've been putting off coming back to it and finally over the last 4 days I've gotten through it.
Some thoughts.
1. You are forum noobs

. You should change your preference settings to go from 5 posts per page to 40. It makes it much smaller (still 121 pages). Saved me from having to click about 1000 times.
2. Thanks Mav for your generosity in sharing your insights into intramarket analysis as well as spread trading and number lines.
3. What I like about ACD is that:
- 1. It keeps you on the right side of the market.
- 2. It exploits the structural edge in the market known as momentum. Momentum will never ago away.
I learned from a wise guy once how to find all stocks that will double from their current price: Look at all stocks currently up 100% in the last year. You will be gaurenteed to find all stocks that will hit 200% from this list. Choosing your entries and exits though.. that's the million $ question.
You combine momentum with intramarket analysis and you're probably going to be catching a lot of fat tails - which is all we as traders can ask for.
4. Even though Mav puts in 60 hours a week. I've seen guys put in 60 hrs a week and get nothing for it and I've seen guys put in <40 hours a week and make 6 figures for a time.
As Mav has talked about his mentor hanging it up, I look at the continued consolidation in the industry (I made a post about this a year ago). That's always been the name of the game.. adapt or die. Those guys who were one trick ponies are gone or will continue to be gone. The reason Mav has survived is 1. because he was always working on learning new strategies and ideas and 2. he now trades on structural edges that will never go away.
I do agree - if I were to start trading now I wouldn't make it.
I disagree with spending a lot of time reading everything. I used to do that and it would bias me to my detriment. I agree on price action is everything - and it will show up there. Just listen to what mr Market is telling you. Sometimes its quiet and sometimes it screaming at you through a megaphone.