As a veteran trader, normally I don't let something so beneath me even get to me but today must've just been one of those days. So in the main chatroom this morning premkt, someone wrote a msg about a stock that just happened to be on my watchlist:

9:18AM NikoMKD: GM, anyone watching $INPX? nice trend last week...

9:19AM elitepro1->NikoMKD: ascending triangle on daily chart primed to breakout soon

That was it, that's all I wanted to write and be done. I thought the whole purpose of a STOCK chatroom was to discuss STOCKS. However, next thing I know, I get a msg on my screen that says 'You are currently gagged in TimAlerts until 10/23 4:00:00 PM. Reason: Answering Questions'

Now mind you, I'm no newbie to stocks and I NEVER ask any type of questions whatsoever in chat, for which most get gagged for. And most importantly, I've familiarized myself with the chat rules for which TimLento is always referring most to go to. In retrospect, should my comment have been better made in the off-topic room? Yes. But, I thought I was well within the limits of Rule#5 of the chatroom which states in part:

5. Stay on topic during the trading day and for the 30 minutes prior to the market open (from 9am Eastern to 4pm Eastern); keep to stock alerts and brief discussion of potential trades.

I thought what I wrote was on topic and fell within the limits of brief discussion of potential trades even for that time frame in the main room. Personally I thought receiving a gag for that was a little excessive.

The whole purpose in taking the time to write this post is that, in my opinion, I hope TimLento uses better judgment in reading the content of a msg before he's quick to use his mod capabilities and hand out an unnecessary gag. I'm in full agreement if he does so to someone who blatantly disobeys the chat rules. But for people like myself who have experience to add to the room and mean no harm... TimLento, please don't be so trigger happy with the MUTE button over what could possibly be a mistake.