"I just have a hard time understanding their spending 3 mill on a drill program if the first hole or two were dusters."

Either they have results of one or two holes, data that they are sitting on, or they are sufficiently confident from surveys to justify spending that 3 million. Surveys have been around for a while so for them to do a placement Now must mean that their confidence MUST come from drill results or at least a scan of one or more cores before they were sent for assaying.

Wes's comment re '2011 a Noront year' must be based on survey data and the news of how 'Noront' that year is can not be determined until we get a sufficient number of cores assayed or at least one with phenominal results.
Note, I hoped for the news by mid December because common opinion was that some drilling got started in September, so my patience is now being taxed a bit. B-Jay, I'm of same opinion.

Delays or not, I am not disappointed, at least not yet. I will be IF no expected news by end of February.

Wishing to all here that 2012 is a better year, Ed.