You make some good points with regard to the healthy discussion of both sides. I have no problem with that. The issue I see is the oblique reference to my friends tell me.............( various false stories about eroding credit terms etc) When challenged the answer is well they are using LOC financing. Wow !! so does every retailer in the world.Could they in fact open LOC facilities if the balance sheet would not support it ? NO not at all. So why would somebody post the negative side of this situation with a false staement? And at the same time claim not to be an investor hmmmmmmmmmm.

The most successful investors I know and I know a lot of them even in these times. Find a paradigm yhey undestand and reseach it top to bottom and then make an investment decision and stick with it until something changes in the original investment thesis. Simple. Does it take some nerve ? Sure but trust your reseach,read the trends. Act on the information in an appropriate manner. learn to listen to everyone , positive or negative but filter both sides appropriately and take action. Action that i define is buy, hold or sale. Simple.
Now I ask the forum here a question. What posters appear to have done research and use this research in their arguments ? Which ones appear to be former employees or know employees that have been claiming that change is bad or something like that and therefore this is a bad investment?
I believe in many of the post that I don't agree with that there are some valid points. I accept these with gratitude because I can weigh that against my own opinion.
So carry on.
The old maps are still pretty good . The speed between the distance to be covered can be shorter but True North is still True North.IMO.