Testimonials
Commodity Traders Club News Testimonials from CTCN Newsletter Clients - listed alphabetically
Special Note to our Testimonial Contributors: Please let us know if anyone objects to their identity being shown.
Charlie Agastin - subscriber - writes: "As a beginner of the commodity market and a new member of the Commodity Traders Club News, I'm glad I purchased all of the back issues of the CTCN. I could have easily lost thousands of dollars of trails and errors to which systems, methodologies and brokers & market tips to explore. All of your CTCN back issues are rich, full of knowledge and information. I highly recommend to anyone - they can save money, time and energy exploring the market. I'm thankful of your excellent work!"
Jay Aldenger - member - letter: "Dave, I have enjoyed your newsletter very much for over two-years now. New traders should not be without it, and also very helpful to people like myself who have been in and around the stock and commodity market for over thirty-years. Keep up the excellent service!"
Arthur Ansias - subscriber - writes on August 7th: "Throughout the time that I was reading the July issue, I kept thinking about writing and here I am. I have been reading CTCN since November, 1994 & have read all the back issues starting with the first issue. It has been very interesting & HELPFUL.
In fact, I am still with commodities because of the encouragement found in CTCN. I have been trying to master commodity trading since July 1st 1992 & am still trying. Since 1994 I have been a little more successful & hoping not to get wiped out. I'm about halfway between step 14 & 15 of the 38 Steps of Success as pointed out by "S.A.T." in the July CTCN . I would like to say "thanks" to all those who have contributed to CTCN since its inception. Many if not all the writers have been helpful in one way or another - I hope one day to be able to return the favor. Incidentally CTCN & Investors Daily are the only two publications that are a must reading upon their arrival. Well, Dave, this sort of takes care of the urge to write. Hope you can use some of it to help others."
Davis Bullock - member - letter: "As a recently new subscriber, I'm still reading and re-reading some of the back issues. CTCN is getting better all the time - please keep up the good work."
Dr. C. S. Butts - Member - letter: "I have subscribed to the CTCN newsletter since its inception. It has been a valuable educational tool and look forward to receiving each issue, and want to thank all the contributors who selflessly gave their knowledge, experience and time. It is a great value and highly recommended to all futures traders."
Keith Carr- member - letter: "I feel that your publication, being a compilation of traders' experiences in the different areas relative to futures trading, provides a much-needed forum necessary for continuing education in the field. Keep up the good work, in spite of the threat of (unwarranted) lawsuit(s) (against you). I look forward to each issue, because I really love trading commodities. Thanks."
C. J. Cassbeer - member - letter: "The CTCN Newsletter is very worthwhile to any trader. I sold my computer a few years ago. It was too much of a time killer. I would rather eye-ball charts and apply a few rules to track. And I sure don't want to watch a screen for six-hours a day. CNBC is good enough for me when I need a quote or close."
Carlton J. Chin - Member - letter: "Great job, Dave! Out of all the materials and publications I receive, I look forward to the CTCN the most."
Jim Covington - member - letter: "Hi Dave, To be quite truthful, I don't take enough advantage of the wealth of info in your newsletter. In the last couple weeks, I have installed real-time service and intend to make trading my main vocation, so I will be using your services more." Keep up the good work!
Richard Craner - member - letter: "Trading is an isolated and solitary function. I appreciate and enjoy the CTCN newsletter because it enables me to get a little bit into the minds of others test that are involved in the struggle with the markets."
Lee De Vrees - member - letter: "This is the platform to weed out and focus on what works, i.e., accentuate the positive!"
Jake D - former member, last name withheld - "Received today notification of your $57 charge to my Visa account for the "automatic renewal" of my subscription, which is in accordance to my prior instructions of a year ago. Please cancel these instructions now. . . Your publication is interesting and worthwhile for a commodity trader. I traded for 8-years and thought I would get back to it after a layoff of several years. But I (now) feel I no longer have the time or inclination. I have decided to get back into futures by having someone else trade (my) $200,000 funds."
Editor's Note: Isn't it amazing how a trader would miss-out on all our knowledge to save an insignificant and trivial amount of money ($57), at least compared to the $200,000 Jake is placing with a managed commodity account fund. For example, by canceling his club membership now he is going to miss-out on all the knowledge contained in our next issue, including editor comments about managed commodity funds. This issue was to be mailed to Jake only a few days after receipt of his cancellation request. These comments include information Jake should be aware of.
For example, the apparent problem of many futures managed funds performing little better than break-even trading, on average. The allegation many funds care little about trading profit, what with their main goal allegedly being the collection of typical 1/2% per month management fees, which they receive regardless of whether they traded profitably or not.
Many managed funds make significant amounts of money on these fees, for example ten-million dollars under management equals $600,000 per year gross profit to the fund manager, guaranteed income even if making minuscule profits or losses. A somewhat "small" one-million dollar managed fund equates to $60,000 per year gross profit to the fund manager, even if he loses money trading his managed accounts! They also frequently get significant revenue from other sources, such as Introducing Broker fees for each managed fund trade made. With these lucrative fee arrangements, especially involving large funds, there is little real incentive for the money manager to achieve substantial profits for his clients.
Jake may not know all this and unfortunately he may never ever about it, as he won't be getting our next issue due to his cancellation (unless he happens to read this in our webtrading Website). Does Jake realize how incredibly inconsequential our (special reduced cost automatic yearly renewal option) of $57 per year is compared to his trading capital of $200,000, which is at risk? Apparently not! This is the case only involving Jake, but also most (if not all) other traders and investors. As King Solomon said, "Knowledge Is Power - receive knowledge and not gold."
Michael Diaz - member - letter: "I hope CTCN will not become a forum for bickering. I do not believe that you could not establish a sufficiently large legal fund to defend against some of the parasites out there. I think CTCN has been a definite plus for my trading experience. Don't allow "idiots" to ruin it with fighting and arguing, Dave. Thank you."
Teresa Fernandez - member - letter: "Have you ever heard of a family of traders? Or a parent-child team? Or two siblings who trade together? Or lovers who trade as a team? Very rarely, no doubt. By and large traders are a lonely bunch, living in the midst of family and friends who do not understand why they would want to subject themselves to such stress."
"I am 49, married, daughter in college. I gave up a successful career in corporate finance to trade the S&P and T-Bond futures full-time over ten-years ago. I am happy with the results, and I love my life. I am a fairly new subscriber to CTCN Newsletter and, for the first time in my trading life, no longer feel alone. Keep up the good work, Dave. This is the only newsletter I subscribe to that I read cover-to-cover."
"1st Know" of Annapolis, MD - Member - letter: "Certainly each of us, as traders, require varying levels of feedback, influence, education, advise and/or instruction that may improve the profitability of our trading. . .while there are many valuable texts that attempt to teach profitable trading methodologies, systems, tools, techniques etc. More often, I believe the individual picks and chooses different subjects matter at different times. The CTCN newsletter is a potentially valuable forum for allowing each of the benefits each of us acquire in our experiences as traders seeking secure profitability . . . It is difficult for one to suggest it (CTCN Newsletter) is anything other than worth its price."
Doug Fischer - Member - letter - "Outstanding newsletter. Well worth the money. I have traded futures for the past 7-years with my own analysis, and receive no other newsletter besides CTCN. I have no other contact with traders besides a few I have met on the Internet and CTCN articles. I look forward to receiving every issue. Keep up the great work! Hopefully, if I find some time, I will submit an article."
George Freborn - CTCN member - letter "Overall, I am very pleased with CTCN. I have gotten useful information via contributor feedback, especially Russell Sands, David Stone, Bob Lehodny and of course S.A.T. Stones contribution in the Oct. 94 issue is simple & effective. As for vendors, I have been helped by Mel Peddy, Linda Raschke & Joe Ross. Mel is especially good on money management techniques. Linda's new book "Street Smarts" which she co-authored is excellent. Keep up the good work Dave, especially the positive and negative feedback between members."
Wade Geery - Member - E-Mail - "Keep up the good work. I really enjoy your newsletter."
Don Good - member - letter: "I have been a subscriber to the newsletter since its inception and find it to be the most informative source on trading as most people write of their experience and not with the idea of something to sell. These shared experiences - if they relate to a problem you may be having - give much encouragement to keep you learning and trading. I find these more helpful than any specific technique - there are plenty of sources for these. Although S.A.T. was certainly helpful."
Gene Hammaker, Farmers Trading Co. - member - letter: "Dave, I truly enjoy receiving your CTCN Publication. Being an I.B. I'm bombard with info from every vendor in the industry. Your newsletter helps sort out some of the questionable items. Thanks."
Bill Hrycek - CTCN Member - letter - "I do not trade frequently (once or twice a month) I have developed my own PC based system which works for me, coupled with my visual assessment of daily and weekly charts. I find some of your articles interesting and have made a improvement to my system based upon an idea gleaned from one of the articles. I am sorry I cannot provide a glowing endorsement but I am not trading as seriously as many as your other subscribers."
Ken Jeli - Local Scottsdale area member - E-Mail - "Welcome to the Valley of the Sun, Dave. I have been here since 1976 and really like it as I am sure you will also. Just remember, "It's a dry heat." I just Faxed my subscription Automatic Renewal . . . which is a great idea . . . I like it. You are providing a magnificent service with CTCN. It has been my primary source of good information about futures and commodities. I know it's a lot of hard work but please keep it up . . . thanks for your efforts."
Joseph Kelner - subscriber - of Minneapolis, Minnesota, writes on July 5th: "Thank you for a great publication. CTCN is outstanding. I have been fortunate enough to use some of the methodologies presented in CTCN to trade profitably for the first time in two years. Please send me the special reports by Joe Ross at your earliest convenience. My membership renewal is enclosed. Thanks again, Dave."
R. F. Kohn - member - writes on Sept 30, 1997 "Dear Dave: I have been a subscriber of the CTCN newsletter for a couple of years, and contributed a number of articles.
I wanted to write to let you know how informative valuable the newsletter has become to my personal growth and education as a trader. One of the most valuable assets provided by the newsletter is the shared experiences of other traders as they attempt to make sense of a very complex and difficult undertaking. Their good and bad experiences, combined with their personal insights help all of us reach our goals and objectives.
I have been trading for almost 20 years, and sometimes I think I've seen it all, but in reality I'm still learning all the time Your occasional input and comments, as editor, add a helpful perspective sometimes missed by a given author.
The one thing that I appreciate the most, is at no time do you ever take the attitude that "trading is easy", or "anyone can do it." Given the current high level of abuses that many system sellers, and newsletter writers engage in, your honest and truthful approach is a "breath of fresh air" within a much abused industry. Congratulations, and well done. Keep up the good work. Best Regards"
S. Komza - member - letter: "I would be pleased to get the CTCN newsletter every month! I am an avid reader to say the least. It is a great confidence booster to me. I am always hesitant to "pull the trigger" to initiate a trade, and it is encouraging to me to read that others have had similar problems and have overcome them. Maybe I am a "normal" trader-in-training after all. Thanks to you for your hard work and efforts that you put into the newsletter."
"I am currently switching my data source over to T.B.S.P. I can now get up to ten thousand quotes per month of any Combination of Future, Stocks, Options & Mutual Funds for only $15 per month. Some charting and studies are part of the package, also a toll free phone number. Service response is very good so far."
Leon Lannder - member - letter: "The CTCN newsletter is the closest thing to a "Better Business Bureau" for the commodity trading product and service "industry." It offers the opinions and experiences that real, live, ordinary people have in purchasing and using various tools or techniques offered to the public. Club members learn of many pitfalls, difficulties, and occasionally some successes that arise. Being a club member has significantly changed my attitude about trading to be much more cautious, fact-based and realistic. I have also saved substantial money I might have "thrown away" on purchasing a product or service, because I was alerted by other member's description of problems they had. The newsletter makes fascinating reading for people interested in commodity trading."
Jeff Leaz - member - letter: "I look forward with great anticipation to each succeeding issue of CTCN. Each is packed with info, tips, experiences and techniques. I would not only recommend a subscription for future issues, but recommend the purchase and study of all past issues."
Ken Linbauer - member - letter: "CTCN is an excellent newsletter. Do not hesitate to subscribe."
Charles McDaniel - subscriber - writes: "This Club has really helped me in my trading. This publication has really helped me. I know this sounds corny, but I really love the guys and girls who write. I wish every beginner like myself, had this material before we started trading. I'm making some good trades now. I'm developing a simple but good trading plan and most of it is from (information given by) the writers of CTCN."
John McIwrath - member - letter: "CTCN is an excellent publication. For those, like me, who are just starting "The Great Game," the articles provide help and comments are fair and honest and helpful. I look forward to receiving each issue."
Misc.invest.futures from davidxxx@aol.com - subscriber - internet news group posting: "A good newsletter to read is the Commodity Traders Club News. This is a newsletter of articles written by (mostly) small traders. These traders describe their experiences with software, brokers, trading systems, markets, etc. . .Good luck trading!"
Chuck Milech - subscriber - E-mail: "I really appreciate the good work your doing with TCN. The current issue's article about Risk of Ruin is very helpful. I hope that your encounter with the CFTC doesn't adversely effect your ability to conduct business as usual. Good Luck."
Marc Mitchell - Member - E-Mail - "I received your latest issue of CTCN yesterday. I appreciate it every time."
Ed Moore - Well-known trading service provider - letter: "I spent over $300,000 improving my trading . . . too bad I wasn't a member of CTCN sooner. I could have saved a bundle."
Michael Mueller - member - letter: "For me, scope of subject matter and the detail to which some of the articles go, is impressive. A subscription to CTCN offers great value for money."
James Petyjohn - member - letter: "I enjoy your paper very much until the authors get into computer language, which leaves me out in the woods. I have been trading stocks and commodities for over twenty-years. I took the original Wycoff Course."
"I have been a loser in managed accounts by, so called experts in cycles, Elliott and others methods, so I do my own daily charts and use a combination of Joe Ross, books and candlesticks. I am eighty-five years old and still have an active account and am in one or more contracts continually. I feel this keeps my mind busy even if I don't get rich out of it. I retired on South Africa gold mining stocks bought and sold years ago."
Eric Porter - member - letter: "Very interesting articles and excellent forum. Could this forum be transferred to the Internet?"
Gerald Quinlen, D.P.M. - member - letter: "CTCN Newsletter is most helpful. I fell it is one of the most creditable of all the newsletters because the articles published are from actual traders, although I do feel that some merely like to see their name in print - too much verbiage.
Also, I would highly recommend Joe Ross' course. He is very truthful, with no bull!! I find honestly to be the most lacking virtue in the industry. Please keep up the good work. I look forward to receiving our newsletter."
Christopher Raithel - Senior Market Analyst with the Chicago Board of Trade - writes: "First of all, let me state how pleased I am with my subscription to CTCN. I look forward to and learn from every issue."
Max Rhoad - Member - letter: "Yes, Dave I do like the CTCN Newsletter very much and read it from front to back as soon as it is received. I have used Larry Williams, Ken Roberts and the Craig Stevens courses and gained some from each, but I feel that I learned just enough to be dangerous to my financial health. I really do want to trade commodities but really don't know how to begin. All advice is conflicting and then where do you go from there. I really would have liked to buy the tapes (Real Success) but put it off too long."
Michael Redrawn - subscriber - writes in April: "Thanks for the newsletter. I showed the article in the March issue to my tax preparer. It saved me nearly $3,000.00. Again thank you."
Max Robinson - member - letter: "Every trader should read your volume 4, number 2, April-May 1996 issue of CTCN.
It has some very valuable and realistic information about how trading may effect your taxes, and what you may expect from your trading.
The most important point is that profits will not come automatically with a new system! Patience and work will be required for consistent and continual profits over the years! Keep up the good work."
Neil Rosentaldos - member - letter: "The CTCN Newsletter in an extremely valuable forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions. Through the newsletter I've come to confirm what I've suspected all along: that the most important component in successful trading is the trader, and not the advice of a "guru" or the machinations of an expensive system."
Jerry Ross - member - letter: "Very good open forum. It has convinced me a non-trader that if careful, one can succeed in Futures."
Jeff Salesh - member & TCN Trading Method owner - E-mail: "I've been subscribing to your excellent newsletter for over a year now. Listening to other neophytes and more experienced traders has really helped me claw my way up the learning curve. I've been day trading t-bonds and am finally starting to get the hang of it and show a profit. I just got the latest issue of Traders Club News. Good job! As usual, it was a pleasure to read the experiences and thoughts of fellow traders, both beginning, intermediate and advanced. I had a good week in the bonds, managing to net $2,700 in two trades."
Larry Shelton - member - letter: "I read it cover-to-cover the first day it arrives."
John Soons - member - letter: "I can hardly wait to get my copy of CTCN's newsletter. This is where to find the true value of any system for commodity trading."
Bill Sullivan - member - letter: "An excellent publication. A good mix of articles, something of interest for everybody. I find it educational, though provoking and entertaining. Over the years I have gone through a lot of newsletters, magazines and books. At some point I over-burdened myself and cut back on everything with one exception - the CTCN newsletter. I feel it has truly been consistent, valuable, informative and very inspirational tool from day one."
Gordon Thomas - Canadian Member - letter "Dave, You are doing a great job. Best wishes."
H. G. Turner - member - letter: "CTCN is great! It is the only printed matter that I have bought in the last 10-years worth keeping. The others only had value for starting fires. Best wishes."
William Ward - member - letter: "Dave, CTCN Newsletter is AWESOME, and one of a kind! The articles are from experience and from the heart of real people who trade real money. They say what works for them and what's not worth it! That's what I like, unbiased, unsolicited honesty!"
Klaus Wagner - German member - letter: "The CTCN newsletter is very educational. I'm looking forward to every issue. I wish I had the emotional, psychological standing to apply all the tips and insights. I wish I would be organized as good as Tom D'Angelo is."
Caley Wong - member - letter: "Dave, this is a great newsletter- very inspiring."
Wai Seng Wong - subscriber in Canada - E-mail: "I really do not want to miss even one issue of Traders Club News. Also, I enjoyed very much Mr. Kent Calhoun's comments on Futures Truth's Top-10 Systems of All-Time in the July/Aug 1997 issue... Please send my message to him if possible."
Gregory Wood - new subscriber - E-mail: "I'm a new subscriber and am delighted with the newsletter. I'm impressed with your editorial control and the discipline imposed on your contributors. Reading the back-issues has been very instructional for me."
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