Hi Hans,

Best of the season to you. I am having a difficulty with your statement about "the Helen news" - there was no news, except that the company was not able or ready to release the plan. While we all thought that we would be able to see the schemata for proposed adit by New Years, Chad had said (at the talk that he gave at the 4 Seasons in Vancouver) that it would be IN the New Year. We, of course, are all so revved / desperate / fill in where appropriate...for news that we all pushed the time-line forward.

I personally think it was smart of VIT management to back off until everything was concrete. Note that in the "news" announcement that you are likely referring to, that mention was made of the company looking at several options for the building of the adit - now, I might be wrong here, but I think that was the first real statement about the possibility of different routes for adit, other than the drive from the old pit. (Solo - maybe you could correct me if I am in error?) I would think, given the bucks that this thing will cost, that we all would rather wait for a few weeks as the company explored the cost-effectiveness of each option...and then gave us the best and most considered plan, don't you?

I have lost lots of money on companies that have proposed half-baked plans - only to have that short-sightedness come back and bite them in the ass later - so I don't mind waiting for Helen - and, as for Eagle, a Feasibility Report must be so right on the money that it is essentially a "get in free" pass at the Pearly Gates - Eagle will do fine, and we owe it to ourselves and the SGV longs who came across to us to do it right.

Yeah, so the board is quiet...go have a look at other boards where companies aren't doing so well...they are turning in on themselves (and it gets personal)...what would you rather have?

Best regards - and here's looking forward to a great new year - with one of the great crews in the business!

Derek