I've posted a few things in the past about my trading activities in the financial markets. These activities and my education continue, now more than ever. How about a 35% gain in my portfolio since November, and it has nothing at all to do with the "Santa Clause Rally;" and now, the New Year rally that will probably set a new benchmark and render 9/11's effect on the financial markets part of the settled past (for now)? Since I began trading last spring and summer, I grew increasingly frustrated with the two steps forward, three steps back routine, time and again. There was no clear direction in the market. Gains one day are wiped out by losses the next, and vice versa, over and over. Frankly, unless one is prepared to trade full time, one is better off in such markets just buying good mutual funds or trading ETFs and checking them over once a month. And that's really the rub. Hey, I know people with good trading educations they paid lots of money for who do better than 10% per month, consistently. But it's a full-time job. Not interested. There is almost nothing that bores me more than researching...