Thanks for a balanced and reasoned response.

Ankerhoo - careful on the Jim Willie character assassination. This is one briliiant guy and you missed the fact that for the most part he was quoting someone else. I doubt you subscribe to Jim and the last two 35 page each articles on macro analysis and gold and energy have been spot on. He has been predicting the debacle we have been in for some time and so far is dead on. Yes he predicts Bear Stearns to go down and other big names. And he will probably be right. The U.S. is at systemic risk in the banking sector. And by the way, you need to look more closely at Citigroup. Just because they are a former "blue chip" does not make them sound going forward. These are not capital injections as many morons think of it coming from foreign lands; it is cash. They are really capital takeovers in small chunks.

Back to my favorite investment here.....I agree that Ecuador is the problem. I don't think there is going to be a bidding war. And I agree with Safe ...could be a country that takes us out. Meetings with Corriente along in China were about airports and ports and resources.....and companies. Very exciting. Cheers.