Cabinboy, I agree with your comment, and with many others’ on this.

PS, I recommend that you make a simple statement, “Jim’s a broker, so you should view his comments in that light,” and then list your facts/counterarguments. Don’t publicly question a friend’s motives; that’s not how you motivate someone to keep producing. And, by golly, I want Jim to keep producing (his analyses)!

Northern Europeans are blunt, and we Americans find such provocative, raising our fighting spirit. Just food for thought.