A couple of days ago, a close friend asked me where the “drive” comes from (I think I am lazy, but that is besides the point). Meaning, why I have so many projects on the plate, and just keep punching away, throwing continually towards the wall - seeing what sticks. Sometimes people tell me “you should just relax, read a novel, watch a little tele.” I read..rarely novels, but right now I am on Fermat’s Enigma (which, by the way, the previously mentioned friend gave to me). My TV gets turned on now and then, but usually just for background noise, and almost always tuned to Discovery Channel.

I don’t like trying to curry favor with people by kissing their behinds. If you can’t stand on your own, you might as well find a nine to five job, buy the stick and stucco in the burbs, write off any chance of catching a marlin on a flyrod, and call it a life. If you can, then the rest should just fall into place, as the ability to create value will always be in demand. Unfortunately for my anti-butt kissing credo, Mark Cuban is at it again, in The Sport of Business .

Like Paul Graham’s piece yesterday, this one hits home, and is well worth your time. To my friend who sometimes doesn’t “get” me, and all the rest who waste time reading my drivel, read Mark’s piece instead (as I couldn’t have explained it better).

Mark Cuban has an interesting post on shorting stocks, entitled I feel so dirty….Naked Shorts.

While most of Mark’s post targets SEC rules regarding stock loan regulation and its related market impact, I am not going to argue with him about shorting as he is right on target (most of the time). I short stocks as well - in fact I short more stock than I buy. Reason being something similar to what Mark says about bias.

Analysts heavily weight recommendations towards the long side. I think the balance of positive to negative recommendations is something like 15:1, but don’t quote me on it (just correct me - I’ll learn something new).

Everyone looks at bears as pessimists. I look at them as opportunists. If everyone is consistently long biased (and they are, right up until a crash), then the general market trend should be up. Now if a stock starts skidding, it is bucking the market forces. All the long bias isn’t helping, and that means it is in trouble.

I short stocks AFTER they have started their downward moves. What I do as far as the size of the position, setting stops, etc. is beyond the scope of this post, but let’s just say I am careful.

It works.

But then again, I am not a billionaire, so if anything here falls contrary to what Mark has said in his post, take his advice.