puff,
I have spoken to Mark on the phone and through e-mail, and unless he is an amazing actor/con artist, which I don't take him to be, I would say that your assertion that he is motivated to cause price swings in the sp is misplaced.
Here are some reasons why:
1) I use linkedin a lot and find that there are actually quite a few knowledgeable sources there. I often contact people whose resume's indicate they know something about the JDZ, etc. When talking to Mark about this, we both discussed the angle with which we would want to approach someone to gently and courteously glean some info from them. That would not be an effort made on Mark's part if he were making up sources.
2) There wouldn't be a time lag from the time he hears something from one source until he verifies with another if he simply made up the sources, unless he was clever enough to throw in a time lag on purpose...somehow I doubt that that would even cross his mind.
3) Every time he emails anyone, he has asked for tit for tat. He provides info and asks if you have any other info or could elaborate. He then doubles back and tries to re-ask the same questions of his sources to clear things up.
Now that is not to say that he couldn't be inclined to embellish a little; I know I've had that urge when people are begging for info, you want oblige and so there may be a tendency to sensationalize.
That said, I think there was a contradiction in one of his posts whereby he says (I paraphrase): "Offor won't sell anything until he knows the value of what he's got" and then he says (I paraphrase): "Buyout $3-$6."
Surely, without more drilling, Offor can't know what he's got, and so how could he sell for that amount?
Personally I think the $3-$6 figure must be for a specific block especially considering that ERHC's corporate structure is split up that way, imo.
All in all, Mark seems to be a good person, who is just trying to help out where he can and when he can. I also feel that he is becoming twice shy about posting his info here on this board because folks like you go after him with too much verocity, in my opinion. Hence, in many ways, if your goal is to silence him, you may be winning.
Krombacher - that's as objective as I can get about Mark.
