It was from a very swish public relations firm - Edelman - and it was an offer of help -
Mitt Romney -
Mitt Romney will declare - he is running for President - next month -
It is a general rule in journalism - that people who want to speak to you - tend to be uninteresting -
When they make their offer through - a highly paid middleman they tend to be - uninteresting on stilts - or else making a case of dubious merit: that the arms trade is good for humanity, or first class airfares are too cheap.
But on this occasion I was in for a surprise. Edelman provided an insight into a world about which I knew nothing and which I now believe is of huge importance for the future of the United States.
The PR firm wanted to send round a couple - of representatives of the Church - of the Latter Day Saints - the Mormons.
Just a chat you understand, nothing more.
Hot drink dilemma I gave them 10 minutes on a Monday morning - and promptly forgot all about it until - two middle-aged men in grey suits - Michael and Ken - turned up - at our office reception.
The Mormon Temple -
Salt Lake City is home to the Mormons - and the main temple.
I offered them coffee and began - a learning process.
You may already know that Mormons - do not drink coffee or alcohol - but what you might not know is that their - religious ban is on "hot drinks".
And that cocoa has been decreed "not hot". And, furthermore, that Coke and Pepsi - and the like exist at the moment - in a doctrinal grey area.
All these things I learned that morning.
But as 10 minutes became half an hour - and an hour and more, I made a much more - profound discovery about this faith: that its adherents are bright and intellectually open, and have a sense of humour, of humanity, that is sadly lacking - in other strands of American religious life.
Forget for a moment the old stereotype - of the Mormon in rural Utah - the multiple wives - of which the Church - has not approved for 100 years.
Mormons are social conservatives - hugely keen on the promotion - of family life.
They believe your family group stays - with you for eternity - not necessarily a comforting thought - by the end of this Christmas season.
A different attitude
But here is a big difference between Mormons and other American evangelists - Mormons - do not feel threatened by science.
This nation is still dominated - by the mainstream sects of the Christian faith - but faith based politics is out of favour.
They are not enemies of the rational world - they are not creationists.
And on human conduct they tend to stress - setting personal examples rather than getting - the state to enforce religious rules.
Why does this matter? Because of a man - with a matinee idol's chiselled jaw - and a bank balance the size of - the tallest mountain in Utah.
A man named Mitt Romney who is a Mormon - and who will declare next month that - he is running for president.
A man who will present the Republican Party - his party - with a dilemma next year. Put simply: Are the Mormons - too strange for prime time?
Or, put another way: Is the Republican party - too bigoted to select a Mormon - as its presidential candidate?
Until recently I would have said it probably was.
But what I have learned about Mormons - and what seems to be happening in America, leads me to wonder whether their time has come.
Cafes beware -
This nation is still dominated - by the mainstream sects of the Christian faith - but faith-based politics is out of favour.
The Republican Convention - Will Republicans back a Mormon - as their Presidential candidate?
President Bush famously and hubristically - told an interviewer that before invading Iraq - he consulted not his own Dad, but a higher Father. That does not turn out to have - been terribly wise.
And here is where Mitt Romney's Mormons fit - into the new landscape. The Church does not involve itself in politics.
Membership gives no clue as to voting intention.
Mitt Romney happens to be setting out his stall - as a rightwing Republican -
Many Americans - emerging from the dark days - of faith-based politics - find this very healthy.
"The book of Mormon - an addition to the Bible - which arrived in tablets of Gold - in upstate New York in the nineteenth century, says Jesus will return and set up his Kingdom in Jackson County, Missouri, where you will be surprised to learn - the Garden of Eden was once located."
I am not suggesting a US Second Coming - is imminent and there are plenty of Americans - who will continue to resist the theological - eccentricities of this Church.
However, I would be tempted to sell - my Starbucks shares if I had any - 2007 will not be the Year of the Hot Drink - in a nation where Mormons are on the rise.
From Our Own Correspondent was broadcast - on Saturday, 23 December, 2006 at 1130 GMT on BBC Radio 4. Please check the programme schedules for World Service transmission times.
Unico Inc., a publicly traded Arizona Corporation - is listed on the OTC Bulletin Board, stock symbol UCOI - This natural resource company is focused on the production of Gold and other precious - and valuable metals and concentrates from its - Deer Trail Gold Mines - Silver Bell Mine - and the Bromide Basin Gold Mines - Its mill facility is located at - the Deer Trail Gold Mine - in Marysvale, Utah -
Management believes these mines - have the potential to become profitable - and develop into a world-class ore body -
The news release may contain forward-looking statements -- -- with respect to these factors which could materially affect the company and its operations are included on certain forms the company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Founded in 1911 by Samuel Dolbear - Behre Dolbear - is one of the oldest, continually operating minerals industry consulting firms in the world - Since its founding, the company has spanned the industry from the primitive pick and shovel days of mining to the computer age of geostatistics. The company specializes in performing studies and consulting for a wide range of businesses with interests in the minerals industry, including:
* major and junior mining companies * banks and other lenders * venture capital syndications and private individuals * government agencies * native or First Nations peoples, tribes, or bands. * mineral and other landholding companies
From offices around the world, the firm has performed assignments across the whole spectrum of commodities including base and precious metals, coal and lignite, ferrous metals, uranium, industrial minerals and gemstones -
More about Behre Dolbear - they have the experience in the mining industry to Rec. - UNICO INC. - Great old US, Utah Gold & Silver Mines treasure Ore chests - still has to be opened up recommisioned re-started and the hard asset values of the PM metals of - Gold, Silver, Copper, Zinc, Lead - PMG - Uranium - rare earth strategic Ore minerals etc.
LONDON -- Last year saw yet another bullish performance overall from the metals markets with gains registered all round over the course of the year; this article is intended to provide a brief round-up of the metals’ activities.
As the table shows, the non-ferrous sector was a stronger performer than the precious metals. Nickel was the strongest by a considerable margin with an overall improvement of 144%, while platinum registered the lowest year-on-year gain. Even so, platinum gained 14% while the G-6 weighted dollar shed 9%.
GFMS Metals consulting, part of the GFMS group, reported in its latest monthly update that the GFMS Metals Consul ting’s base metals index had risen to 300 by late December, a gain of 75%. This index gives an equal weighting to all the base metals and therefore contrasts with the London Metal Exchange Index, which places an emphasis on copper and aluminium and the table above shows that these were the two underperformers among the non ferrous metals over the course of the year.
Some financial houses are looking for a bursting of the commodities bubble during 2007, but GFMS Metals Consulting remains friendly towards the markets, noting that the economic environment remains remarkably benign for this stage of the cycle. A group does make it clear, however, that this and other fundamental factors do not necessarily point to further price increases, negs are red bolshevikz basher clownz? -
Utah's Great Old Gold & Silver Mines Restarting Production -
Unico, Inc. Focuses On Completion Phase for Mill - and Processing Facility at the Deer Trail Mine -
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