Copyright © 2013 Knight Sac Media. All rights reserved.http://www.siliconinvestor.com/subject.aspx?subjectid=58498CONTEST SUBMISSION DEADLINE SUNDAY, 1/8/2012, MIDNIGHT! Please check Post #100 for changes in how initial portfolio stock prices will be set. Welcome to the 2012 Biotech Charity Contest. Here are the guidelines as I understand them: 1) Each contestant starts with a virtual $100,000 cash to be al...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/images/Logo380x132.pnghttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/subject.aspx?subjectid=5849838013210BulbaMan2012 Charity Contest Donation Update: The East Bay College Fund has emailed me that through this January 31 they’ve identified a total of $4,325 coming from 20 Charity Contest-related donors . The average of a little over $200 per donating Contestant seems quite generous. But there were 38 individual entries in the Cha...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=287064002/4/2013 6:31:13 PMmopgcwbut I care much that we all have the same one. Otherwise gives the impression of gaming the system. that's how it gets a bit twisted. although I firmly believe it makes no difference in the long run (by year end), if we must correct for it, then the easy solution is to have any late entrance take the higher basis of e...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286484801/7/2013 1:09:01 PMIan@SIOne option for a "hard" start date would be to run the contest for a year from a date that doesn't fall within the year end holiday festivities and vacations. e.g. From Jan 15th to Jan 14th of the following year. Alternatively, from Dec 15th to Dec14th might appeal to tax/charity considerations. Dec 1st to Nov...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286456721/5/2013 5:08:09 PMRobert C. JonsonOn this one, we are balancing the objective to have more participants (raising more for a charity) with a hard-cut off date Jim, I understand. My point (and maybe biofishers) is that having a hard and consistent deadline will ultimately ensure maximum participation. It's uncertainty and confusion that lead to procra...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286456671/5/2013 5:04:23 PMIRWIN JAMES FRANKEL>> I can live with whatever you decide, but my druthers are like biofisher and not give a grace period. All rules have trade-offs. On this one, we are balancing the objective to have more participants (raising more for a charity) with a hard-cut off date. To accommodate that late entrants were allowed but with an a...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286454841/5/2013 3:07:18 PMscaram(o)ucheLet's see if we can get S.I. staff to design a time-release system for contests. The option, for threads dedicated to certain functions, where posts can be submitted but not released until a given time. There would be inevitable editing of some profiles, companies that would be kicked out. Substitutions could tick us...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286442241/4/2013 6:04:51 PMBulbaManThank you Rick. Let’s let bygones be bygones. Hope to see you next week. Peace & good health, Martyhttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286442161/4/2013 6:01:48 PMbiofisherFor the record, I agree with myself. (Post 484). Thanks to you and Bulba for your forthcoming service! Milthttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286442011/4/2013 5:54:47 PMscaram(o)uchehttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286441801/4/2013 5:34:30 PMscaram(o)ucheWe have grandfathered a great practice, allowing those with certain investment obligations the option of a delayed entry. With a simple grace period, there'd be no need to have the portfolio pass to anyone through email..... everyone has the same basis, and portfolios would go directly to the thread. I'll go with the...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286441561/4/2013 5:18:12 PMfred hayesRick, Bob -- the idea is to get as many entries as possible, so I like a grace period. Why not avoid any advantage by simply pricing the grace period entries at the closing prices of the following day. Presto, fixo...there's no need to have everybody using the same basis, or am I missing something?http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286441461/4/2013 5:15:38 PMBiotech Jim<zlcs.... > Not for the light of heart, or for those with malignant hyperthermia either! As I said, very riskeeeeeee. Certainly the announcement of the start of a second Ph2, this one in postherpetic neuralgia did not hurt, even in the face of a Piper Jaffray downgrade this week. phx.corporate-ir.net http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286441321/4/2013 5:10:29 PMRobert C. JonsonAnyone taking obvious advantage of a grace period will be disgraced and ridiculed. Any problems with that, anyone? Rick, I can live with whatever you decide, but my druthers are like biofisher and not give a grace period. I think a clear, consistent deadline is the best remedy to avoid the sort of confrontation we've...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286441201/4/2013 5:02:12 PMscaram(o)uchehttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286441151/4/2013 4:58:45 PMscaram(o)ucheI wasn't picturing you as anything other than in a bind, dealing with a difficult or withdrawn portfolio. I wasn't picturing devious. But I did posture and question your integrity. I sincerely apologize, from the depth of my gut. I would never go to equating Marty with any negative motive. I am so very sorry. I was...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286440891/4/2013 4:39:44 PMscaram(o)ucheAnd the tough stuff that I just couldn't do, without study..... venue selection... markets where there's liquidity, etc. The nitty gritty. Deal.http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286440781/4/2013 4:32:09 PMBulbaManTerrific Rick! And if by “everything else” you just mean tracking the data and regularly posting results like I do now, I’m on. Thanks for the compliment ;-) Peace & good health, Bulbahttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286440751/4/2013 4:30:13 PMscaram(o)ucheAll I have to do is write the rules? And give a yes/no to portfolio components, after some group discussion (if necessary)? You will do everything else? I mean, you're quite amazingly good at it. No problem, my end. I never track my portfolio. I never know, a few weeks after the contest has started, what I have i...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286440531/4/2013 4:20:03 PMrkrwMaybe it could be done democratically come early December, with a few choices and a vote taken. Someone can PM all of this years contestants what the rules are, so no trouble. http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286439371/4/2013 3:43:46 PMBulbaManYou can count this Ph.D. out for next year’s Contest. After two years in a row being harangued for making unfair rules and having my integrity questioned, I’ve had it. I’d rather donate the few thousand bucks the Contest makes for Charity myself then have to go through it again. To repeat the old adage: “No good deed g...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286439041/4/2013 3:36:24 PMtom popehttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286438411/4/2013 3:16:35 PMrkrwAnother interesting question would be if all the 2011 portfolios carried over through 2012, did the old or the new portfolios perform better? Eyeballing my 2011 portfolio, it looks like it would have been among the last place finishers in 2012 and I wonder why in the heck I made most of those picks in the first place!...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286436581/4/2013 1:58:05 PMIRWIN JAMES FRANKEL>>How many PhD's, scientists, investors and geniuses does it take to screw in a light bulb? :) That is easy. X But if lawyers are doing it figure on 10X. ;-) BTW - the controversy illustrates the problem with laws/regulations. The complexity mushrooms as everyone tries applying the reg to various fact pat...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286434621/4/2013 12:46:55 PMrkrwHow many PhD's, scientists, investors and geniuses does it take to screw in a light bulb? :) Best of luck to everyone this year. May your contest picks do great and your real life portfolios perform even better! http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286434421/4/2013 12:40:55 PMtom popeThe overriding principle should be that the late entrant's basis be the closing price on the day the portfolio was submitted, or the next day if submitted after market close. I can't see a way to game that - if a component of the portfolio goes from 10 to 20 intraday, 20 is the price that will be reflected as the basi...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286434291/4/2013 12:36:53 PMrkrwI would have been a little more liberal and allowed first day entrants up until the open on 1/2. Stragglers ok, so long as they don't game it, intentionally or not. Any name with a decent gain or material news would be out. I know some years when I'm out of the top 10 I'm not checking Bulba's weekly updates so it w...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286433891/4/2013 12:22:03 PMscaram(o)uche11:59 P.M. Eastern. 1 January That's when the contest begins. Marty's response to my objections was to tell me why and how the new rules were created, rather than to take concrete steps to reverse mistakes. He understood how upset I was and offered parallel accounting for the "blindside" group. He even offered ...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286432881/4/2013 11:55:43 AMNP1986My suggestion would be this: - Any portfolios which were submitted by the deadline will be based on the 31/12 closing prices - Any portfolios submitted after that deadline should be based on the 14/01 closing prices or the 31/12 closing prices, whichever is less advantageous to the late participanthttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286432391/4/2013 11:39:30 AMbiofisherI think it is ridiculous to have a 2013 contest start at any time or day or month other than when the ball comes down on Times Square. Everyone knows when its 2013 NYSE time. The benefit of having a few (if any) additional participants could well be offset by old timers dropping out or reducing their pledges because o...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286428701/4/2013 9:34:18 AMtom popehttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286427651/4/2013 8:14:36 AMRobert C. JonsonOne more penny: Bulba, I must reject your kind offer to let me make the rules for this contest. My sensitive nature does not permit me to endure the earnest and heart-felt criticism that a rule-maker richly deserves, especially from worthies such as these. I also believe your frustration and anger towards those who ...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286427641/4/2013 8:14:22 AMRobohogsGuys, Calm down all. I am less than happy on not getting this big rally in my stocks. And I was not gaming things - in real life, had 2X the size of my trading account delivered on open from puts sold - wish I had held to real opening instead of taking the quick premkt gain (and margin solution)! Cost me 1/5 of las...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286425431/4/2013 2:11:49 AMscaram(o)ucheSubstitutions should have been allowed, without question and without your interference, until midnight Eastern, 1 January. For anyone, in any portfolio. You should not have rejected any request, other than those that violate other rules (re. capitalization, whatever). Three minutes, ten minutes, an hour.... I was...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286424421/4/2013 12:58:38 AMBulbaManFor the record, Rick: No one tried to replace a company in his portfolio 10 minutes after the close. I did get requests by PM to replace portfolio picks from both Peter (Biomaven) and RKRW. 1) I didn’t discover that the Japanese stock Biomaven picked on 12/31 wasn’t quoted by Yahoo until the next day (Jan. 1). He asked...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286423971/4/2013 12:36:03 AMscaram(o)uchehttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286423511/3/2013 11:50:42 PMBulbaManWonderful Robert! Next year you’re in charge of the rules. Because for sure I’m not volunteering again. Peace & good health, Bulbahttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286423471/3/2013 11:48:23 PMscaram(o)uche>> So I think these rules were in fact needed. << I just don't know what would have happened, had we been forced to cope with 12/31 close as a basis and a few newbies, trickling in. Needed! I just didn't know. Sorry.http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286423451/3/2013 11:48:06 PMBulbaManRick: Not sure what you mean here. If you mean that I got a fourth portfolio from DNAJOE by PM, that’s not the case. DNAJOE’s portfolio was posted publicly. Link: SI Message 28629344 Peace & good health, Bulbahttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286423431/3/2013 11:45:08 PMRobert C. JonsonMy too cents: 1) It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game. 2) Everybody who participates in this contest is a winner. 3) For next year (2014) and beyond, use the last trading day of the year to set beginning portfolio prices. Make deadline for submission midnight second Friday of the year. ...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286423291/3/2013 11:31:21 PMBiomavenThere was an unusual situation this year - a potential huge macro market swing in one direction or another right at the beginning of the contest. Lots of ways that could potentially impact the competition if you have a flexible start date and prices back-dated to the beginning of the year. So I think these rules were i...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286422831/3/2013 11:04:14 PMBulbaManhttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286422771/3/2013 11:00:16 PMscaram(o)ucheAnd, Peter, you're both a Democrat and an attorney. All due respect, but you probably think that it's absolutely normal to write laws that are not needed. You were gone. I logged on 31 December to give my usual 8-12 stocks at 5-20%, and found new rules. I was late, but I was also saved from an avalanche of news. H...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286421991/3/2013 10:13:28 PMscaram(o)ucheYeah, I know that he was strict. A participant tried to replace a company in his portfolio 10 minutes after the close and was refused. Of course, he could have braved that notable bolus of 1 January news, and gotten a whole new basis! New rules, ya know? Thanks. Rickhttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286421531/3/2013 9:51:10 PMscaram(o)uche>> none of the stocks in those 3 portfolios are in my own << Four. I guess. Right? Or? Six? Give me a break. I was not accusing you of picking off picks for your CONTEST portfolio. I was suggesting that you get a view of contest picks for consideration, real life portfolio. You know, like we all used to get, befo...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286421441/3/2013 9:45:24 PMscaram(o)uche>> For the record << Yesterday, in a private message..... I was wondering about him myself. I did get a portfolio from a dnajoe, so maybe it’s the same dude.http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286421341/3/2013 9:42:02 PMBiomavenAnd just to emphasize how strict Bulba is on this, one of my picks got disqualified because it's a Japanese stock that Yahoo didn't pick up, and my proposed replacement stock was PM'ed a little after the deadline and so wasn't accepted (so I went with 11 stocks instead of 12). Peterhttp://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286420951/3/2013 9:26:10 PMBulbaManRick: For the record, there were three portfolios submitted to me by PM: two prior to the 12/31 4pm deadline (RKRW & Biomaven) and Mcbio’s at the exact time he stated. It was always my intention to use the time portfolios were posted, whether on the public board or by PM to me. That was the case last year and I expect ...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286420351/3/2013 8:50:46 PMscaram(o)ucheYeah, got that part. Again, apologies. But contestants can post directly to the thread, and their post date determines basis. Again, apologies. Never called you a cheat, accused you of gaming. Your portfolio is going to submarine on the thread, late......... be interesting to see how many do.http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286419281/3/2013 7:49:55 PMmcbioI'm telling you the day I sent my picks to him because I have always believed that the day I post my picks in a private message to him is equal to the picks being posted. I.e., there is no mention of public or private when defining "posting." So, when I put my picks in a private message to him, that is a posting of ...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286419091/3/2013 7:38:31 PMscaram(o)uche>> I sent my picks to Bulba at exactly 3:25:39 P.M. on 1/1/13 (Bulba, back me up on that if need be). Note that this was well before the outcome of the fiscal cliff had been determined. Moreover, note that, given the fact that the fiscal cliff was subsequently averted late that evening and the markets sharply rebounded...http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=286419011/3/2013 7:35:33 PM