I think you are right on the money with your thoughts. Although Noront has hinted at a new vision, they were not explicit as to what they meant. Since that statement, they have added strategically to their management team a talent pool that has experience in TSX listings, geology, finance and marketing. Maybe this new team is the new vision. Since that time, Noront management has said emphatically that they are an exploration company and in my opinion they would be prudent in sticking to their strengths, particularly with the market turmoil we are experiencing. What we have seen in the last couple of years is major companies recognizing that exploration companies such as Noront have the expertise to most economically find anomolies and raise capitol to explore them. These exploration companies are a valuable resource to majors who couldn't possibly engage the huge workforce that are exploring the world minerals. Majors are too busy acquiring one another and fighting to be the biggest in the world. They are also acquiring promising discoveries that small companies have found. This will happen to us because we will help one of them become "one of the biggest".

Noront can not develope the ROF alone, and for my own selfish reasons I dread the thought that they try it. Financing is impossible these days for large companies let alone small ones. Caterpillar sales are in the order of $30 billion and they were on the news last week lamenting that the best they could do for financing was 7%. I am sure Catepillar was used to getting prime plus or minus a quarter. Meanwhile, a major such as Tech Cominco is forging ahead with a multibillion dollar deal for Fording. Majors still have things in the works and the sheer size of them can still make things happen. They will soon be taking their 10 % positions and hopefully , bidding against one another for my shares.

Mike