Good points K and I believe that trades do take place as you state, but certainly not exclusively.

" An example of that could be your suggestion that you were attempting to move the bid/ask up a penny or two by taking out the miniscule asks."

In actual fact I was just buying what was there, leaving the bid .02 lower than my bid, in hopes that someone would eventually offer shares at that same price after the sp rose a penny. As a result I noticed the forces on the other side doing their thing. I don't object to their right to dispense with their shares in sequences but I do object to people using it to manipulate the sp and we absolutely know this is what often takes place with NOT.