Kent - over the crazy life of this thing (my time in it anyway) there have been some doozies floated. "RF helped Chavez get back into power after the coup so he owes us" "Gold Reserve got a permit by accident and boy is everybody pissed" "The permit is already signed and delivered to CVG awaiting the right time for Chavez to announce it to get the most bang for his buck" "Chavez needs to get this done before the election to show the people he wants to help them with jobs" (that's an old one that keeps on giving) "Rangel loves us" "Khan likes us" "It was just a rogue nutty woman at the helm of the Environmental Ministry and they just have to ease her out and it will be fixed but it can't be done quickly because it will be embarrassing and everybody wants to save face". Kent, I agree the Chinese "perhaps" change the dynamic this time but, if I was a fish, I'd have been caught and filleted and cooked a number of years ago from all I have swallowed. Some of the other longtimers can probably add to my list because I thought of all of these in minutes. I am still long and hoping this is finally either the end or the beginning of the end. As each day passes though, I become a little more uneasy. Best to all and...peace. Karl