ALTON, I agree with you and similarly "feel your pain". I believe one of the stark differences between the development of the USA and other industrialized countries when compared to many of the countries in the middle east, is the fact that the "sweat equity" that went into growing our country was monumental compared to those countries that remained on idle, existed at practically subsistence levels (not including royalty of course) for hundreds ,actually thousands of years, and then a miracle happened. They discovered "black gold" under the sand. Oil is different from most other natural resources. Once the technology was developed,(incidentally that cost being entirely borne by the industrialized countries) it is relatively easy to extract from the ground, pipe to other countries or to ships, to be then transported just about anywhere in the world. Oil (and natural gas) could almost be considered "legal tender" in our world today. Soooo, those countries that are Johnny - come - lately to the oil game,and are not tearing themselves apart internally or fighting constantly with their neighboring countries, have sprung into world prominence (financially) over night. Compare their rapid growth and development to those countries in the same region, with similar beliefs,customs etc. that were not "blessed" with the oil. For instance how are Egypt,Syria,Lebanon,Pakistan etc. fairing in comparison to , UAE.Oman,Kuwait Saudi Arabia, Quatar (how can any of the original investors with Omagine forget Quatar?) etc. The fact that those that have the oil,and are not wasting obscene amounts of their revenue on war nonsense, have a distinct advantage over those countries that do not have the oil. My point being that the governments of these oil and gas rich nations are still feeling their way through the growing and development pains ,that we in the industralized nations , experienced over the last several hundred years. They certainly have the capital (and until the wells run dry they'll have plenty of it) ,but clearly they lack the value of time tested experience needed to take their nations to the next level. Hopefully a vision such as Omagine, and others like it, will be one of the catalysts to attain that illusive "next level". BILL