Re: the first statement above - you see, surf, that's what we call pure assertion. You seem to want us to believe this, against all evidence, simply because you say it is so. I hate to say it but you're dangerously close to emulating the Disgusting ET Troll here. Re: math, you're clearly not a math PhD. The fact that you were wrong about the mathematical basis of TA shows that. But as I said, at least you had the balls to admit you were wrong. So far you haven't provided one shred of statistical proof for your position. All you've said is 'I have heard from others that...' or 'It is obvious that....' or "prop firms don't teach it so that must mean that...'. 'None of this means anything other than you have a (mistaken) opinion. On the other side are thousands of successful traders worldwide who are using TA to trade profitably, some of whom are here and telling you that they do so. Lastly, isn't it true that you have given up on trading personally? If this is the case, are you in a position to tell us what works in trading? Hmmm....
TA has a mathematical basis? Could someone elaborate on that? Do you think TA is a science? Physics has a mathematical basis.
Who the hell is the Prince of Wall Street? Does he actually trade, or does he just write about trading? The answer to this will explain a lot I imagine.
Back to the original question. IMHO . . . any Technical Analysis that is grounded mainly or solely in statistics is doomed to inconsistency at best. The variable aspect of statistical analysis as it relates to technical indicators is simply a crap shoot and one reason that those like marketsurfer find no value in the results generated from most TA. Most of these individuals don't understand how to eiminate those variables or for that matter WHY the elimination of the variable aspect of their charting effects the consistency and accuracy of their trading or investment decisions. Trying to mathematically calculate a constantly varying, random and chaotic environment in realtime is a nightmare that few humans could accomplish let alone understand. One doesn't need a Ph.D to verify this, just a simple devotion to their work to personally validate what most others overlook. This argument has run its course. You will always have those on one side pounding the drum for TA's usefulness, using what marketsurfer calls "their art". You will always have those that haven't been able to find a single useful aspect of TA so they pound the drum for "uselessness". And both sides are skeptical anything else could exist. If you believe it doesn't exist . . . it doesn't. If you use something that works . . . abuse it. If you are open minded and are still searching for consistency . . . don't give up!
http://www.yafeu.com/pic/markbrown.com_20080113_083550.html same model on four different futures, all mathematical. how can this be? green=good - purple=bad, it's not black magic, it's math. math=ta - your opinion=ta - cramer=ta - tv=ta - terrorist=ta - bush=ta get it? well hope not cause i need my edge=dumb sheep who spend all day drawing trendlines following some cult leader who is successful at paper trading or reading books about turtle history. mb
I've disbatched this formula off to President Bush for his next PP presentation in two hours. (Minus IR pointer of course)