dcbass,

The guy on the other board is a typical basher. He first showed up as someone just curious about the company, and actually showed he was capable of very good DD. And then all of a sudden, he's raising questions and focusing on points that really aren't as important or relevant as he insists they are. Not only that, he's demanding that other posters answer his detailed questions, which he says would be simple for management to answer. The obvious point is, if he's so interested in the company and so obviously capable of finding out what he wants, why doesn't he call up the company and get his answers, as you just did? For such a savvy and capable guy, he seems peculiarly reluctant to just call the company.

To be honest, like most bashers he has focused on a real weakness of management, transparency. We have all opined about wanting to know more about what is going on, about management's plans, etc. That's one reason the share price is (still) so low. But it's not a reason not to invest in the company, just one of many factors to take into consideration. There are many large, established, and reputable companies with good management that aren't as transparent as one would like. Besides, there is often a reason why companies don't tell you everything that is going on. What if they are in negotiations with a smelter? Do you think they'd get the best deal possible if they told everyone that was the smelter they had already decided to use, and was the only one they were negotiating with? For some things, you simply have to trust management until things reach a stage where a news release is appropriate. So far, this management has progressed slowly and with some miscues, but has made significant progress and has given me no reason not to trust them.

For bashers like that, it's most effective to ignore their specific questions, don't reply to them directly, and just point out their tactics in separate messages. Don't get caught up in their games.

GL,

spiny