Morning Al,

While we do not like delays, I believe that the update was needed and also was a fair assessment of the current market situation. I believe that Andre still Chairs the Board over at North American Palladium. Their stock got descimated and they laid off 350 workers. That company produces 4% of the world's palladium. Usually during down times in the cycle, Majors will try to lay the groundwork for drilling, acquisitions or in some way fortify their infrastructure so that they can come out of the 'starters gate' more prepared than before when the cycle turns upward.

The only thing I do not like here is that I do NOT believe that we are in a normal cycle because I am totally of the opinion that the so- called free markets have been tampered with by major world players. World wide supply and demand senarios, should be causing a higher pricing of many metals and commorities. Dont believe that China is cooling down, they are stock piling gold and silver. A quick hypothetical example of what I term price rigging goes like this. Let's say that fair market for silver should be $15.00 per ounce but the Comex Market says $9.00. Lets also say that for you and me to buy silver bullion we would pay $2.00 over the spot price. Then we should be able to get the 1 oz silver eagle for $13.00. Try and get it at that price. Vertually every dealer is charging $15-16 per oz and that is $6-7 over spot. [in that $9.00 example] There are only two explainations for that kind of discrepancy. 1- Greedy drealers and 2- a rigged Comex Market pricing.[which the Russians and Chinese will be challenging] Perhaps both are involved. A friend of mine tried to get some gold several months ago and the dealers were charging $50-100 over spot. Somebody is lying here.

The same goes for stocks. The 'rats' that caused the current debacle in the financial world markets are the same ones shorting and naked shorting companies and industries they target in order to drive the sectors down so that they can get the stocks at a much undervalued price. Overstock.com is a perfect example. Seven million more shares were traded than actually exist. [houses allowed trades without the buyer having to take possession of the actual shares] Their stock went from $74 per Share to $14 I believe. It was a gang up job in the truest sense as Overstock was doing great.

The same clowns that destroyed companies, brought down the metals market AND of course will be the buyers when they think the timing is right. Al, this is not paranoia on my part this is human nature at its worse. So then fear and greed rule as opposed to sound business practices. I guess there is nothing new there.

All the best to you and yours,

Jerry Francis

P.S. We absolutely have a winner here and if my garage was not attached to my house, I would sell it and buy Starfield's stock. Also I am NOT the head of the house, so there is that factor to contend with. LOL