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finally, science has discovered new Bird Flu prevention program!!
MDW.v
Spring Valley update likely in next few days...
MDW.v
Spring Valley update likely in next few days...
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?c=mdw.v,uu[l,a]daclyiay[dc][ph.02,.20!b200][vc60][iuk14!ua12,26,9][/c...
not cold enough in Canada this year...
http://www.miningweekly.co.za/min/news/today/?show=83190
Anarchism and the Peak oil argument
by Terry S Tuesday, Mar 21 2006, 3:14pm
elsewhere / environment / opinion/analysis
An anarchist analysis of what peak oil means for the fight for a free society
http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?story_id=2672&print_page=true
Faber-Holding cash is not such a bad idea!
In sum, my view is that holding cash is now not such a bad alternative. I fully expect to be able to buy most assets at lower prices within the next three to six months.
What I find remarkable about the United States is that Americans have the talent to always put on a huge show, which then turns into a lot of hot air.
The US went with 'The Best Team in the World', as the Americans proclaimed, to the Winter Olympics in Turin. However, the best team was Germany, which won with a population just 30% that of the US, 29 medals compared to 25 for the US, while Austria with a population of less than 10 million won 22 medals.
A lot of hot air is also visible on Wall Street. Despite all the bullish statements by strategists and analysts, so far the Dow Jones Industrial and the S&P are up year-to-date just 3%! By comparison, Hong Kong is up year-to-date 6%, India 13%, while the best performing stock market in Asia was Vietnam, which is up 29%.
And while I am somewhat hesitant to chase the Vietnamese stock market on the way up, looking at the valuation of Vietnamese shares, which hovers around 10 times earnings and the country's promising economic prospects, it is likely that the market will continue to rise much further. Elsewhere, yearto-date, Russia was up 32%, Peru 31%, the Kingdom of Mr. Bush's Pen Pal, Hugo Chavez, 49%, Brazil 29%, while Qatar and the UAE were down 20%.
Correction time
Last month's commentary made the case that a correction time had begun or was imminent. This remains my view and I would like to reiterate my near term negative stance toward all asset classes, including commodities, for the intermediate term (3 - 6 months). There are several reasons for this pessimistic view. As can be seen from figure 2, mid-term election years in the US have a tendency to decline into October following an initial rally, in the first few months of the year.
The second reason for being cautious about the US stock market is that the Bradley Model, which is based on planetary alignments, will shortly turn down. The Bradley model correctly called the current rally by bottoming out in December 2005, and will turn down again in November 2006. And while I would certainly not bet my farm on the basis of the Bradley model, its record compares rather favorably with the forecasts of Wall Street strategists and analysts.
Another reason for caution is the well-established tendency for the stock market to do well between October and May but to perform poorly over the summer months. In the past, the best time to buy stocks was usually around October/November and to sell in the spring. I may add that the four year stock market cycle (it lasts about four years from through to through) will also bottom out in October 2006, since the present rally began in October 2002. Based on the four year cycle a sharp decline starting soon is likely.
Then, there is the issue regarding interest rates. As I have opined before, it is likely that in the next few years yields on US treasuries will rise further than is now commonly assumed. In fact, of all asset classes, it is very probable that 30-year US-Treasury bonds are the worst possible investment should one buy them with a view to hold them to maturity.
I am not talking here about buying bonds as a trade for the next ten minutes or 3 months but as an asset an investor would wish to hold for the long term. In fact, with 2-year US Treasury notes, now yielding around 4.7%, I suspect that they already offer some competition for equities, a competition, which will become more intense as yields rise to and above 5%. I am aware that a large number of investors are betting that the Fed will soon refrain from raising short term interest rates.
My view about this is that nobody really knows how far interest rates will still rise. But from a simpleton's point of view it should be evident, that for as long as asset prices rise (in particular home and stock prices), the Fed will continue to increase interest rates. Once asset prices no longer increase in value and stall, it is likely that the Fed will then be through with interest rate increases. And, when the Dow and home prices decline by 5% to 10%, the Fed will cut interest rates aggressively (not in baby steps).
Rate cuts and rallys
Now, I am aware that there is a widespread belief among investors (in fact this is presently probably the most entrenched belief within the investment community) that once the Fed starts to cut rates, stocks will rally. However the historical evidence does not support this view. On average, in the post Second World War period, the S&P 500 was, following the end of a tightening interest rate cycle, down 0.5% after three months, down 1% after six months, but up 1% after one year.
So, if we assume that the Fed will stop increasing interest rates within the next 3 months or so, the stock market is unlikely to do well right away. Moreover, as I explained in earlier reports, the US dollar should also resume its bear market once investors will begin to anticipate the end of interest rate increases.
The other extremely entrenched consensus view among investors is that bonds will rally once the Fed begins to cut interest rates. Since bonds did not sell-off while the Fed raised rates between June 2004 and today, it is far from sure that they will rally once the Fed cuts interest rates and once the dollar resumes its downtrend.
Another point I should like to make about the US stock market is that the rally since October 2004 has from a technical point of view been far from convincing. In recent weeks a large number of stocks have failed to better their November 2005 highs, and the Ten-Day Moving Average of new Highs has been declining. At the same time, the Lowry Selling Pressure Index has been rising while the Buying Power Index has been declining.
Finally, our regular readers will recall our negative stance towards the US housing market in 2005. Since homebuilders have been a leader of the post 2002 bull market, it is noteworthy that this sector shows signs of weakening. Since homebuilders have been out-performing the US stock market since 2000 (when the TMT sector began to collapse), it is probable that homebuilders are now also leading the broad market (and the economy) lower. The housing index peaked out in July 2005 and is now down by 12% from its high (individual homebuilders have declined by far more - Toll is down by 50% from its 2005 high).
Additionally, it is not a good sign for the US stock market that other leaders such as Google and Apple seem to have topped out while heavy weights like GE, Wal-Mart, Citigroup and General Motors (the latter not a market cap heavyweight but still an economically important company - at least symbolically) are languishing or declining in price.
Overbought equities
I have maintained in the past that emerging stock markets would outperform the US stock market. However, since most emerging stock markets are, today, very far along in their up-trends and are in some cases very overbought, I would expect the coming US stock market weakness to lead also to substantial corrections in emerging markets. This does not mean that the long-term bullish case for emerging stock markets is abandoned, but within long term bull markets severe corrections are more the norm than the exception.
In this respect, I should also like to point out that in the case of commodities, for which bull and bear market phases tend to last between 20 and 30 years (the ideal cycle lasts from peak to peak between 45 and 60 years), severe corrections and 'commodity rotation' - with one group of commodities taking the leadership from another - are also common. Between December 30, 1974 and August 1976, the gold price dropped from $ 195 to $ 104, before soaring another 8 times to its January 1980 high.
In sum, my view is that holding cash is now not such a bad alternative. I fully expect to be able to buy most assets at lower prices within the next three to six months.
Montealegre Climbs to First Place in Nicaragua
March 23, 2006
(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Former Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) member and presidency secretary Eduardo Montealegre is the top contender in Nicaragua’s presidential race, according to a poll by the International Republican Institute. 31.8 per cent of respondents would vote for Montealegre in this year’s election.
Former president Daniel Ortega of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) is second with 25.4 per cent, followed by former Managua mayor Herty Lewites with 23.7 per cent, and former head of state Arnoldo Alemán with 10.9 per cent.
The PLC will choose its presidential nominee during a convention of party members in April. In 2001, the PLC’s Enrique Bolaños won the presidential election with 56.3 per cent of the vote. Bolaños lost the support of the PLC in January 2002, when his government decided to take legal action against Alemán. Last year, the former head of state—who governed the country from 1997 to 2002—was sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud, money laundering and embezzlement.
Montealegre assembled the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance - Conservative Party (ALN-PC) last year. Earlier this month, the political organization added an eighth member, after Nicaraguan Christian Path (CCN) lawmaker Delia Arellano announced she was supporting Montealegre because the country needs "a change of people and a new frame of mind."
Lewites headed the government of Nicaragua’s capital from 2001 to 2005, but was expelled from the FSLN in February 2005. In March 2005, the party officially designated Ortega as its presidential nominee. Ortega governed from 1985 to 1990, but was a losing candidate in the 1990, 1996 and 2001 ballots.
The next presidential election is scheduled for Nov. 5. In the event no contender receives 40 per cent of all cast ballots, the first place finisher can only avoid a run-off by holding a five-point advantage over the closest rival.
Polling Data
Which candidate would you vote for in the presidential election?
Eduardo Montealegre
31.8%
Daniel Ortega
25.4%
Herty Lewites
23.7%
Arnoldo Alemán
10.9%
Source: International Republican Institute
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,008 Nicaraguan adults, conducted from Mar. 13 to Mar. 15, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Central Bank Gold Sales
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=8327291
Actual tonnes sold = 191.80
Agreement tonnes = 240.38
24% behind schedule...
---------------
The Bundesbank, the German central bank, on Tuesday rebuffed the Berlin government by announcing that it had decided against substantial gold sales before at least September.
The decision, although widely expected, marked a fresh assertion of independence by the bank, which has been under pressure to sell by the government of Angela Merkel, chancellor.
"Gold is an essential part of the currency reserves of the Bundesbank," said Axel Weber, Bundesbank president. "Decisions on the manner and size of reserves are taken autonomously."
Mr Weber said that the decision related to sales in the current year of its option of 600 tonnes permitted by the Central Bank Gold Agreement, which expires in September 2009.
It excluded, however, the sale of up to eight tonnes for the
manufacture of gold coins by the government. Mr Weber said no decisions had been taken about possible gold sales in future years.
Dancy
http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/dancy/2006/0318.html
When do we get that Weathervane Chart on Gold Sentiment...
Do we have to get on our hands and knees and beg...
Financial Sense Junior Gold Index
http://www.financialsense.com/metals/fsjg.html
CKG-Some Well Reasoned Posts...
From: SimplyTheFacts Read Replies (3) of 8151
I just think that there are some catalysts in the near term (not related to the AAU deal) that could generate renewed interest in the stock.
TSL, could you maybe share what these catalysts are that you see in the near term? I didn't want to get into a lengthy discussion last night for I don't want to offend any of us cult members. However, since we have now started a civilized conversation, maybe we could sort through the facts and separate them from the story we have all fallen in love with.
Facts are the highly touted La Juliana property was a bust. Furthermore the high expectations from La Gitana, one of the main reasons many invested in the company, have to this day not been realized. The company is slowly moving its attention to other areas, such as Pena Blanca among others. Drilling has been slow, 21 holes in the past 14 months. Besides the probable 1 mil low grade stuff discovered at La Gitana, to date CKG has acquired it's gold and not discovered it. First by purchasing La Cecilia and now with the merger with AAU.
The "Big News" was a dud simply because merging with AAU will ultimately make CKG a good takeover candidate only when the price of gold is over $750. (Obviously barring a great discovery on one of their properties, which is not happening soon because they are not drilling) IMHO, I don't see the price of gold moving over 750 this year or the next. So CKG's story, if and when it comes through is about three to five years away. Volume is low because there is simply no interest for now. There is no PR and news releases are scarce. We are still waiting on the JV news which should be coming soon, but I don't think that would significantly move the stock.
So all in all, great company, great management and a wonderful story which in time will prove to be a great investment. But for this year and possibly the next the stock will remain under pressure in my opinion, and I can't change that no matter how many pints I have. Please don't shoot the messenger, thank you.
Best,
STF
__________________
From: TheSlowLane Respond to of 8151
I believe that we will see a JV wrapped on La Calavera soon, perhaps in conjunction with some of the results of the work that have been done getting it to the drill-ready stage. I think there is another JV in the pipeline behind that (I am writing from memory, which is dangerous). They had about 10 more holes to do on Cerro di Oro as of PDAC. I expect we will see results on that before too much longer. RR is looking to prove up 1MM ounces at La Gitana. I think LG has proven to be more difficult than perhaps was initially anticipated, in terms of complexity of the structure and the lay of the land. However, they have not walked away from it, the goal is to prove up 1MM ounces for now. Meanwhile, they have found numerous other targets in the area between La Gitana and La Calavera that look highly prospective. Yes, it will take time to quantify that, so probably no near-term catalysts on those. However, it seems to me that based on what they are seeing, the long-term objective of defining a district is not unreasonable. As for when gold is going to hit and sustain $750, I don't think anyone knows for sure. I do recommend that you listen to the Coxe conference call for this week though. The focus is on the US Dollar. The thing with currencies is that crises can develop faster and go further than anyone expects. If that happens with the USD, and that seems probable, given the extremes of the situation, then all bets are off. However, that is clearly out of the realm of things which are under CKG's control. Anyway...you could well be right, we could be sitting on dead money for some period of time. So, whether you stick around or look for opportunities elsewhere and then see how things develop, is a decision only you can make. We'll save you a seat if you wander and let us know if you find anything good(er)!
___________________________
From: jackjc Respond to of 8151
I think that is a more accurate look at CKG.
After 2 yrs of looking for gold CKG has bought a large low grade
gold deposit and become more of a speculation on POG and less
of an explorer.
While his followers may still believe that finding another
profitable gold deposit is a 100% certainty, Randy himself
obviously knows better and is placing a side bet.
I thank him for the FGX profit, but did not stay with the
CKG rollout. However the stock has done well, with a lot of
faith in Randy's ability, and is so priced.
Get off your butt... Time to update that Weathervane Chart of yours on Gold sentiment...!!! It's been a while...
______________
Mark Hulbert, MarketWatch
Last Update: 12:01 AM ET Mar 17, 2006
ANNANDALE, Va. (MarketWatch) -- At the end of November, I reported that, based on a contrarian analysis of investment newsletter sentiment, gold was a better bet over the ensuing three months than the stock market.
The contrarians were right in this case. Since that column was written, gold bullion has risen 12%, while the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 index has gained 5%.
Contrarian analysis today reaches the same conclusion as it did three and one-half months ago. Despite gold more than doubling the return of the stock market since early December, editors of gold timing newsletters remain significantly more bearish than do editors of stock timing newsletters.
Since contrarians believe that the markets rarely accommodate the majority, this suggests that there is a stronger sentiment case to be made for gold right now than stocks.
Consider first the Hulbert Stock Newsletter Sentiment Index (HSNSI), which reflects the average equity exposure among a subset of short-term stock market timing newsletters tracked by the Hulbert Financial Digest. As of Thursday's close, the HSNSI stood at 38.1%.
Contrast that with the current reading for the Hulbert Gold Newsletter Sentiment Index (HGNSI), which is based on the average gold market exposure among a subset of gold-timing newsletters. As of Thursday night, the HGNSI stood at minus 19.6%, which means that the average gold timing newsletter is recommending subscribers be net short the market.
In fact, the current HGNSI reading is not that far above its record low reading of minus 31.3%, suggesting that the average gold timer right now is pretty close to being as bearish as he has been in recent years.
This contrast between newsletter sentiment in the stock and gold arenas is very telling. Gold is less than 3% below its multi-decade high set less than two months ago, while the major stock market averages are well below their highs from prior to the 2000-2002 bear market. The S&P 500, for example, is some 15% below its March 2000 high, while the NASDAQ Composite index is more than 50% below its high from that month.
And yet the average gold timer has reacted by running to the exits.
Lewites Becomes Frontrunner in Nicaragua
March 16, 2006
(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Former Managua mayor Herty Lewites is the early favourite in Nicaragua’s presidential election, according to a poll by Borge y Asociados. 27.3 per cent of respondents would vote for Lewites in this year’s ballot.
Former Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) member and presidency secretary Eduardo Montealegre is second with 21.7 per cent, followed by former president Daniel Ortega of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) with 18.3 per cent, José Antonio Alvarado of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) with 5.6 per cent, and former president Arnoldo Alemán with 2.6 per cent.
Lewites headed the government of Nicaragua’s capital from 2001 to 2005, but was expelled from the FSLN in February 2005. In March 2005, the party officially designated Ortega as its presidential nominee. Ortega governed from 1985 to 1990, but was a losing candidate in the 1990, 1996 and 2001 ballots.
The PLC will choose its candidate during a convention of party members in April. In 2001, the PLC’s Enrique Bolaños won the presidential election with 56.3 per cent of the vote. The president lost the support of the PLC in January 2002, when his government decided to take legal action against Alemán. Last year, the former head of state—who governed the country from 1997 to 2002—was sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud, money laundering and embezzlement.
The next presidential and legislative election is scheduled for Nov. 5. In the event no contender receives 40 per cent of all cast ballots, the first place finisher can only avoid a run-off by holding a five-point advantage over the closest rival.
Polling Data
Who would you vote for in the presidential election if the candidates were these?
Feb. 2006
Nov. 2005
Herty Lewites
27.3%
28.0%
Eduardo Montealegre
21.7%
26.2%
Daniel Ortega
18.3%
18.5%
José Antonio Alvarado
5.6%
5.8%
Arnoldo Alemán
2.6%
--
Not sure
16.3%
2.8%
Source: Borge y Asociados
Methodology: Interviews with 1,008 Nicaraguan adults, conducted from Feb. 6 to Feb. 26, 2006. Margin of error is 3.2 per cent.
NICARAGUAGuard against foul play in presidential electionsBY MARIFELI PEREZ-STABLEMPS_opinion@comcast.netOn March 5, Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast held elections for its regional council. The coast, where 10 percent of the population lives, has elected its councilors every four years since 1990. But for the fact that 2006 is also a presidential year, all eyes would not have been on the region's elections.
The Liberal Constitutional Party -- the machinery of former President Arnoldo Alemán, who is under house arrest for embezzlement -- garnered the most votes. The Sandinistas, whom polls had projected to win, came in second. Candidates supporting Liberal Eduardo Montealegre and Sandinista Herty Lewites, dissidents who are running for president, came in a distant fourth and fifth. Third-place Yatama (Motherland), the region's indigenous party, holds the balance of power.
The coast, however, is not a political vane for November. Rather, civil society and international actors worried that the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) lacked the disposition to tend the process properly. Professionalism has not been the CSE's hallmark. The regional elections offered an opportunity to do it right, or play fast and loose, and the CSE did it right. Domestic and international observers certified the integrity of the coast elections. Had fast-and-loose been the tenor, the ride until the presidential election in November would have been even bumpier.
Unfortunately, a free and fair process in March does not set a binding precedent. When Violeta Chamorro defeated Sandinista Daniel Ortega in 1990, no one thought that the Nicaraguan transition would be easy. Yet, few could have then imagined what happened in the late 1990s under Alemán's presidency. Alemán and Ortega, until then go-for-the-jugular antagonists, drew a pact to control all major institutions, which undermined the separation of powers at the heart of democracy. The fledgling transition was, in effect, hamstrung.
Since last year, several developments have signaled trouble for the Liberal-Sandinista pact.
• The Alemán-Ortega effort to weaken President Enrique Bolaños' powers -- or even give him the boot before his term was up -- failed. Ortega and Bolaños reached an agreement that respected his term and the presidency. Alemán Liberals stood on the outside looking in.
• Montealegre and Lewites launched their presidential campaigns and quickly took the lead in the polls. Other Liberals and Sandinistas, too, have broken ranks with their respective caudillos.
• The Organization of American States and the Carter Center established missions in Nicaragua and are there through November. In addition, the United States no longer supports Alemán and is ready to accept a dissident Sandinista as president even if it prefers Montealegre.
The Alemán-Ortega duopoly is in danger. That is why the citizenry, the anti-pact forces and international actors must keep up their guard without quarter against foul play in the presidential contest. Montealegre and Lewites are disadvantaged by their weak electoral machineries. Still, a free and fair election in which both are allowed to run would likely make one of them president.
Montealegre and Lewites have promised to work together to bury el pacto and restore institutional checks and balances.
An unprecedented four-man race -- the two dissidents, an Alemán-backed candidate and Ortega -- fairly represents the electorate. Who benefits, and who loses? Ortega might, as the anti-Sandinista vote would divide for the first time since 1990. Still, polls suggest that three-time loser Ortega cannot win with Lewites in the race. Might chicanery prevent one or both dissidents from registering as candidates?
If a four-man race goes ahead, other concerns would come to the fore. Could the Liberal and Sandinista machineries be used to selectively suppress the vote? Would the dissidents be able to mount effective nationwide campaigns? How well would the CSE do in a tightly contested election?
Let's imagine a happy ending with a win for Montealegre or Lewites. Their challenge would be to establish common ground and move Nicaragua forward.
Bolaños is leaving his successor a sound macro economy that cannot be upset. Yet, the majority who lives in poverty must be brought on board. Compromise is the essence of politics. Alemán and Ortega embraced it to pursue raw power; Montealegre and Lewites must raise it to make Nicaragua better. In that sense, they would be picking up where Violeta Chamorro left off in 1996. Not an ideal place, perhaps, but a hopeful one nonetheless.
Marifeli Pérez-Stable is vice president for democratic governance at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, D.C.
Cental Bank Gold Sales
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=8327291
ARQ/ANO relevant article...
http://www.resourceinvestor.com/pebble.asp?relid=17805
ok Frank, which is your favorite, several to choose from...
http://www.thebumperbanner.com/humor2.php
CKG posts - PDAC
To: TheSlowLane who wrote (45251) 3/9/2006 10:58:03 AM
From: ogi Read Replies (2) of 45317
Spoke with Randy on Wednesday, missed the possible analyst.
What I did get from all this is he thinks they paid a small price for big upside. Further payments, ie rights don't come in to effect unless POG hits $850. Metates will surely provide a sufficient IRR at those prices, possibly in the low 600's.
There is a higher grade core 2-3 million ozs that would help, some 2-3 g/t. and lots of very lengthy intercepts. 200-300 metres of contiuos mineralization He also reiterated that he has come to a greater understanding of gold producers desires for really big projects. Metates could be 15-20 mil oz. It is still open at depth. There is much work to be done for CKG on Metates.
Meanwhile they want to ramp up the work at La Gitana, get some JV's underway and most especially prove they have a DISTRICT not just a deposit.
You are right the magnitude of this deal will bring attention to CKG.
One of many enjoyable PDAC meetings.
Cheers,
Ogi
To: Zincman who wrote (45272) 3/9/2006 1:34:46 PM
From: ogi Respond to of 45317
I would not dare deviate from the standard CKG answer. 2 weeks?
I did not ask a specific time but I believe we will see more news going forward and shortly. New prospects identified, new drill results, jv's.
I believe they are looking to JV both Cucaracha and La Calavera.
Cheers,
Ogi
To: Zincman who wrote (45272) 3/9/2006 1:47:43 PM
From: ogi Respond to of 45317
P.S.
I am only surmising but CKG has done a lot of regional reconnaissance work and identified numerous different showings.
AU/AG Eithermal targets, skarn targets etc. These must be followed up with trenching and more sampling and then drilling. They are almost all in areas with no roads, making progress difficult and slow. Alberto( who identified Marlin for CKG) said it was hard to get geos to got out in the bush and do this work. The average guy would rather work on easier stuff. Anyway, it seemed there was clearly a determination to increase the work and add drills as soon as can be done.
The main thrust behind proving a district is the big boys want 4 mil ozs or more, the intermediates maybe less but they both want to buy a deposit with remaining upside exploration.
Cheers,
Ogi
I got a better appreciation for the deal when Randy pointed out that the leverage came without much cost. Cheap ozs. An awful lot of them.
Of course it was in front of me but I needed it emphasized. Doh.
I still dislike things with marginal economics and I was not thrilled by the deal but I suspect Randy knows it can be sold in the right market and meanwhile it does not cost that much for the exposure. I am still on board.
We have waited over 20 years for a bull run in gold. God knowws where infowave is in 20 years? At least we knew gold would still exist!! ggg
Cheers,
Ogi
The Meanest Vehicles for the Environment in 2006
http://www.greenercars.com/12mean.html
If you look at our meanest vehicle list, while the models may have changed year to year, the general picture has not changed. The list is dominated by large pickups, large SUVS, and a few exotic sports cars. We're not worried about the exotic sports cars because they sell at such low numbers. It is however an issue with large SUVs and pickup trucks: the GMC Yukon, the Hummer H2, the Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup, the Dodge Durango SUV, and the Chevy Suburban SUV. These are all vehicles that have very high volumes and are incredibly inefficient. They burn an awful lot of fuel, and emit high levels of tailpipe emissions.
The meanest vehicle of the year is the Dodge Ram SRT 10. It's a version of the Dodge Ram pickup truck, in which Dodge placed a Viper engine. It's an 8.3-liter, 500 horsepower 10-cylinder engine. The vehicle gets 9 mpg in the city and 12 in the city. You can't expect to be environmentally friendly under those circumstances.
Well I am looking at a 3 year chart, and it finally looks like a breakout... ARQ should have feasiblity study done by end of 1Q06. The ARQ BEE deal with AngloPlat keeps getting delayed but Anglo American still wants and needs to repatriate its cash from SA to London...
And on Feb 22 we have SA Anglo American CEO Lazarus Zim resigning from Anglo to head up a new Platinum base BEE for further taking the goodies from Anglo Plat...
http://www.angloamerican.co.uk/article/?afw_source_key=D8C22D90-A6C1-4913-BDE6-B200BB544264&xsl_....
The Anglo Plat BEE gravy train must be quite tasty... However, I am now thinking Zim's arrival on the scene likely indicates further delay before Anglo Plat BEE deals are finally consumated. I was thinking ARQ BEE deal at end of 1Q06, I am now thinking by end of 2Q06 if we are lucky... SA Govt still holding Anglo American at ransom over the forex repatriation, wants to ensure a highly favorable BEE deal from Anglo Plat, IMO. When the deal gets done, there will be many a happy BEE in SA, including ARQ, IMO.
Central Bank Gold Sales
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=8327291
Citigroup Metals Report
https://www.citigroupgeo.com/pdf/SZA38923.pdf
Tinka completes Luminaria six-hole drill program
2006-03-06 11:13 ET - News Release
Mr. Andrew Carter reports
TINKA INTERSECTS BELOW SURFACE MINERALIZATION AT LUMINARIA, PERU
Tinka Resources Ltd. has completed the first-stage six-hole diamond drill program at the Luminaria project. Results of the first four holes were reported on Feb. 8, 2006. The two final holes were drilled in the southern area of the project.
Hole LDD5 targeted a fault zone in the known area of surface mineralization and intersected a six-metre mineralized section of silicified biotite diorite between 60 metres and 66 metres depth. This interval averaged 3.3 grams per tonne gold and included a two-metre section that ran 5.82 grams per tonne gold. The company believes the intersection, which is approximately the true thickness of the zone, is a continuation of the surface mineralization dipping from east to west at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.
Hole LDD6 was drilled south of LDD5 and targeted a geophysical anomaly, but no significant assay values were returned.
All drill core was sampled in two-metre intervals using a diamond saw on site. The samples were transported by company personnel to Plenge Laboratories in Lima. The samples were analyzed for multielements using ICP instrumentation, and gold was tested by conventional fire assay-atomic absorption finish. The company randomly inserted a known standard into the sample sequence. All samples that assayed greater than 0.1 gram per tonne gold were sent to International Plasma Labs Ltd. in Vancouver as a routine quality control check.
The company will now evaluate all drill data to determine the future work program.
The company's qualified person, John Nebocat, PEng, has verified the contents of this news release.
We seek Safe Harbor.
http://www.stockwatch.com/swnet/newsit/newsit_newsit.aspx?bid=B-530961-C:TK&symbol=TK&news_r....
Nope, not bearish on Energy at all. Making $40,000 of new working interest investments for my corporation in N Texas (Ochiltree County) in step out development wells. Hold a 1.78% WI in one well and 1.33% WI interest in another that should be finished drilling in next 60-90 days. Are you now bullish once again in Energy...? Do you favor oil or natgas?
Also, still continue to love fundamentals of SHY just north of Houston.
http://www.sharonenergy.com/news_2006_04.html
If Dickson #2 hits as hoped, this will about double SHY production.
Also, in regard to Allen Ranch holdings, note this:
"Relevant to Sharon's reserve potential in the Allen Ranch area, a competitor recently announced that it had drilled a deep, 17,500 foot Wilcox gas well, approximately one-half of a mile north of Sharon's acreage and had encountered 222 feet of gas pay. The competitor has now moved its rig to drill a similar deep well only 550 feet north of Sharon's lease line."
Allen Ranch field could be very significant and entire area reclassed to P&P reserves if results continue to be positive by SHY and others.
Bird Flu- Friday March 3, 9:49 PM
Bird flu pandemic would hit metals, energy -bank
LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - A human bird flu pandemic would have serious implications on demand for energy and industrial metals by crimping global economic growth, Deutsche Bank said on Friday.
The investment bank said in a report that a severe outbreak could take between two and four percent off Europe's gross domestic product (GDP) and trigger a flight of capital from highly indebted nations like the U.S. to creditor nations like Switzerland and Japan.
But while the virus remains limited to animals and humans only through close contact, the impact would be much less, cutting GDP growth by 0.25 to 0.5 percentage points.
H5N1 avian influenza has killed birds in more than 30 countries stretching from South Korea to Germany and into Nigeria and Niger. It has spread to 14 new countries in a month, and infected 173 people, killing 94 of them.
Deutsche estimated oil prices could fall by at least $20-25 a barrel due to the dampening effect an outbreak would have on global GDP, on demand for aviation fuel and on Asian GDP -- a major commodities consumer.
"With jet fuel accounting for around 5-7 percent of the crude barrel, a market downturn in passenger aviation could see this level of activity nearly halve with a commensurate decline in oil demand of around 2-3 million barrels per day," it said.
Industrial metals markets were also under threat.
"Avian flu is one of the key risks to our optimistic outlook on the demand prospects for metal markets over the next two years," the bank said.
"The real demand and supply threat posed...to metal markets would come in the event of the transmission into large concentrated human populations with relatively high real disposable incomes."
This may also trigger an outright repatriation of capital from overseas markets by creditor nations and could benefit precious metals, Deutsche said.
"We find large creditor nations will tend to 'enjoy' an appreciation in their currencies as foreign holdings are brought home, while the large debtor nations, who are reliant on foreign capital to fund their current account deficits, will tend to depreciate as foreign capital exits these markets."
Just going to hold my existing CKG, about 6.5% of my portfolio. Bought back a few shares a couple weeks ago. May buy more if CKG gets hit today and/or tomorrow.
Like CC's PMI, picked up a few shares at US$3.60 when it got whacked.
I bought some PMI today, a little tungsten in the portfolio...
PMI likely only has 3 year or so mine life right now, but they have the cash flow to likely get to 10 years P&P if and when they start getting a drill program going with decent results...
found links for NatGas and Oil again, let's see how long they last...
should have them in next few days...
Central Bank Gold Sales
well behind "plan"
169.90 actual
211.54 scheduled
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=8327291
central bank gold sales
actual sales=164.55 tonnes
"planned sales"=201.92 tonnes
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=8327291
How does one go about relocating 3 mountain glaciers... Do you just move them over to the next mountain...? Or do you simply use some dynamite to relocate them to the valley...!!
"Chile's government has given Barrick Gold Corp. the go-ahead to build a $1.5 billion gold mine in the Andes mountains despite opposition from local environmentalists.
Chile did, however, make a major concession to the environmentalists when it prohibited Barrick from relocating three mountain glaciers. The gold is buried under the ice.
Barrick expects to start production of the Pascua Lama project in 2009, giving it an estimated 17 million ounces of gold over 20 years."
3/1/2006 @ 5:36pm
looks like they password protected the site, hence no chart would appear...
Yes, I very much like the fundamentals...
Have you sold your Encana and Bankers Pete positions...?
that's 130 pounds..., now that is a nugget.
Any comments on Sharon Energy...?
If Hound Dog #2 hits as hoped, it should about double production is my understanding.
SHARON ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT TEXAS GAS DISCOVERY AND UPDATES U.S. DRILLING OPERATIONS
Sharon Energy Ltd. is pleased to report the successful completion of two Allen Ranch wells, which were fracture stimulated late last week and tested over the weekend. Sharon has a 14% working interest in the two wells.
The Allen Ranch Hancock #2 well has been completed in one of eight potential Wilcox gas zones and is currently flowing to sales at a restricted rate of 5.0 MMcfd with a flowing pressure of 10,150 psi. These results greatly increase the development potential of the Allen Ranch field.
The Allen Ranch Hancock #1 well was completed in the fourth Wilcox gas zone and is currently flowing to sales at a restricted rate of 5.6 MMcfd with a flowing pressure of 7,825 psi. Following testing of this gas zone, production from all four Wilcox gas zones in this well will be commingled.
Production from the Allen Ranch field is being restricted to 10.6 MMcfd sales due to production facility constraints. The production facilities are currently being expanded to handle up to 15 MMcfd and the expansion should be completed within 4 to 6 weeks. Sharon will be increasing its 2006 development program for the Allen Ranch field to include the drilling of additional development wells and a further expansion of production facilities.
The Hound Dog R. Dickson #2 well, in which Sharon has a 25%working interest, is currently drilling at a depth of 14,800 feet. The well is targeting multiple Wilcox gas zones and is expected to reach the total depth of 17,000 feet by March 1, 2006. The well has encountered multiple gas shows based on samples and mud log results. Drilling results to date are consistent with the geological prognosis for the well.
Sharon Energy Ltd. is a junior oil and gas company currently conducting active natural gas exploration programs in Texas, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Sharon is currently focused on exploring for natural gas in Alberta and deep Wilcox gas in Texas.